Of Promises and Broken Darkness
by UsuakariTOT
Summary: Bakura and Marik have escaped the Shadows, but at what cost? Now it is the monsters who must be saved. Can Ryou give the Thief something to live for besides revenge? Will Malik find it in his heart to heal Mariku's newfound soul?
1. 1 Revival of the Thief King

A/N- This story takes place a year after the series ended. Things are a bit different though. You see I took some liberties in changing the plot to work for me. Instead of returning to the memory world/shadow realm, both Yami and Bakura were given their own bodies. The Thief King was also given a chance to redeem himself, which he promptly wasted by hurting Ryou. 

OOCness for Bakura and Mariku is intentional. There are reasons for their change in demeanor which the story will reveal. Any other lapses in character traits however are completely my fault, and I apologize.

Warning- yaoi, rape, abuse, foul language, violence, blah, blah, blah

Disclaimer- Yugioh is owned by Kazuki Takahashi not myself. However the story's plot is all my own.

**OF PROMISES AND BROKEN DARKNESS**

**Chapter 1- Revival of the Thief King**

The February air was frigid at best, and as Ryou walked down the deserted streets of Domino City he couldn't help but shiver. Despite living in England for a time, he had never really become very accustomed to the cold. The boy let out an inaudible sigh. He'd be home soon, home and far away from the chill winds of winter. Still, Ryou wasn't as happy about this as he could have been. 'Who wants to come home to an empty house anyway?' It had been over three months since his father's last visit, Amane was long dead, and as far as Bakura was concerned...well perhaps it was best not to dwell too much on Bakura. But then Ryou couldn't help feeling a bit lonely. Even his sadistic yami was better than no one at all.

"Stop thinking about him so much, will you," the Brit muttered to himself. Bakura was gone, and there was nothing Ryou or anyone else could do about it. Condemned to darkness for all eternity, the cruel-hearted thief would never again rise from the Land of Shadow. Yami and the rest of the Yugi-tachi had made sure of that.

As he approached his house, the teen couldn't seem to push either the tombrobber or the former pharaoh from his mind. They ran circles around him and, like just about everything else in the boy's life, left him feeling utterly useless and confused. Ryou knew that by banishing Bakura to the Shadow Realm Yami had only been trying to protect him, but then why did he feel so empty now that his darker half was gone? 'What am I thinking? After all he put me through could I really...'

"Hey Ryou!"

Turning in astonishment, the angel-haired boy blinked a few times before cracking a smile and waving in reply. After the latest incident involving Bakura, most of Ryou's friends had taken to avoiding him whenever possible. Not that he could really blame them for feeling uncomfortable. Still, it was with much happiness and surprise that the boy stepped aside to let Yugi Motou enter his house.

"Hello Yugi. How've you been?"

The shorter teen smiled brightly at his soft-spoken friend, who sat across the coffee table from him in a rather large, floral-patterned armchair. "I couldn't be better, Ryou. Things at the Game Shop are going great, and Yami says that the Shadow Realm has been relatively quiet lately." Yug paused for a moment to get a better look at the other boy. Ryou really did look awful. His skin was paler than usual, and the bags under the teen's eyes made it look as though he hadn't had a full night's sleep in ages. Then again, after all Bakura had done to him, it wasn't surprising that the boy rarely slept.

After this brief silence the violet-eyed hikari continued. "Actually the reason I really came over here was to make sure that you were alright as well. You haven't been yourself lately, Ryou. Ever since Bakura..." Yugi's voice broke off abruptly. He was obviously having second thoughts about bringing up such a touchy subject.

Ryou, sensing his friend's discomfort, tried to ease the tension up a bit. "Really, Yugi, there's no need to worry about me. I hardly even think about him anymore." Anyone could tell by the look on the boy's face that this was an outright lie, but the smaller teen couldn't find a reason to argue otherwise. Reluctantly he began to give in.

"Well as long as you're..."

"What do you MEAN you hardly think about him anymore? BAKURA RAPED YOU RYOU!"

Spinning around to see who had interrupted Yugi, said boy's heart seemed to skip a beat. Standing in the doorway was the former pharaoh, crimson eyes fixed on him in both confusion and disbelief.

"Yami! Why do you always do this? I told you I was going to visit Ryou on my own!"

Striding over to his disgruntled hikari, the former pharaoh managed to give him the ghost of a smile. "Forgive me Yugi, but I too wished to speak with Ryou."

"Oh, it's alright I guess. I really shouldn't have lost my temper like that, but you should keep your promises next time." Yugi's face was once again the perfect picture of youthful innocence.

A sudden jolt of envy rocked Ryou to the core. Why couldn't he be like that? After all Yugi had been through, all the responsibilities he had been forced to bear, how could he still smile? How could he find any joy at all? 'Then again', Ryou thought. 'Maybe its just me. Maybe I'm just too weak to even deserve happiness.'

"Ryou?" The white-haired teen snapped out of his revery as Yami spoke his name.

"What is it?" The boy's chestnut tinted eyes were slightly narrower than usual.

Taken aback by the Brit's uncharacteristicly insolent reply, the former Pharaoh stumbled back onto the sofa next to his light. He hadn't expected Ryou to take it quite this badly. After all, it had been monthes since Bakura's banishment. Shouldn't the boy be ready to talk about it by now? 'It's too late to back out I suppose.' Still, Yami was beginning to have second thoughts about his little escapade. Taking a deep breath, he pushed these thoughts aside and continued.

"Listen Ryou. I'm fully aware of how hard it must be to speak of what Bakura did to you, but eventually you will have to come to terms with it. There's no use denying what the Thie..."

"Maybe we should continue this after Ryou has a chance to change out of his school things." It was a lame excuse, but Yugi could tell by the tears building up in his friend's eyes that the other needed a moment to collect his thoughts." Yami opened his mouth to object but quickly fell silent as the shorter boy gave him a pointed glare.

"Yes...I suppose...I suppose that might be best." Though it was clear the Spirit felt differently, he figured that it would do no good to argue. Besides, Ryou did look a bit paler than usual.

Flashing a grateful smile at Yugi, Ryou excused himself, rushing upstairs so his friends would not see the tears beginning to pour down his face. "Pathetic," he murmured to himself. "No wonder he hated me."

Searching about his room for something else to wear, the Brit's gaze fell upon something gold lying across his nightstand. Strange, he had thought the Sennen Ring was still tucked away in the box beneath his bed. 'I would have remembered getting it out, wouldn't I?' Well he had been rather forgetful lately. Ryou laughed shakily, trying to convince himself that the item's sudden reappearance was of no concern to him. However, looking the the Ring made him feel slightly queasy. The eye at it's center caught the light in such a way that it seemed to be staring him down. Grabbing some jeans and a button-up shirt, the teen escaped into the bathroom.

Running away from a hunk of metal? Bakura would have been disgusted! Hastily pulling on the new clothing, Ryou turned to the sink to wash the tears from his cheeks. Reaching for a washcloth, the boy accidentally caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. For one agonizing instant he could have sworn it was his yami he saw instead of himself. They did ...had... looked strikingly similar. Still, no matter how much he narrowed his eyes or messed with his hair, Ryou would never be like Bakura. The tombrobber had been more than a bandit and stealer of souls. He had been a human being and maybe, long ago, he'd had a heart as well. Ryou felt a strange sort of grief, realizing that he would never know the secrets of the spirit's dark yet undeniably existant soul.

"Hey Ryou!" How was it that Yugi's voice could sound both impatient and concerned all at once? "Are you alright up there?"

Looking up at the clock, the Brit gave a yelp of surprise. He'd been up here for nearly twenty minutes. "Yeah, I'll be down in a second!" Turning to leave, Ryou threw the mirror a final glance. 'Who were you Bakura?'

Yami was feeling increasingly agitated. He paced back and forth, cracking his knuckles and glaring about darkly. Yugi couldn't help but smile. The Pharaoh's love for the white-haired boy was so great it might have been mistaken for obsession. Ever since they had learned what Bakura was doing to him, Yami had looked after Ryou like a watchdog. As the darker boy's hikari, Yugi had quickly figured out that his ministrations weren't merely that of a concerned friend. Yami's feelings for the boy carried far past those of a crush. He truly cared for him.

"Umm...Yami?"

Roused from his musings, the King of Games forced his voice to seem calm. "Yes, little Light?"

"Ryou's back."

The crimson eyed boy whipped around. Sure enough, there he stood in the doorway, a little worse for wear perhaps but no less beautiful. If anything Ryou appeared even more lovely, for behind his weary and defeated features there was a translucent, almost celestial sort of light that only angels ought to bear. 'Then again,' the Pharaoh mused. 'I'm not so convinced he isn't an angel myself.'

"You wanted to speak with me Yami? About Bakura?" Ryou sunk down once more into his flowered chair and stared across the living room towards the other boy.

Yami nodded. Still standing, he addressed the angel. "It's not just about your darkness, Ryou. It's about you... and how you've been behaving since he left."

"Since you sent him to the Shadow Realm you mean." There was no anger in the Brit's voice. In fact he sounded as polite as ever, but Yami got the message. He was starting to feel slightly irritated with the other teen.

"You say that as if I did you an injustice by getting rid of Bakura! Damn it Ryou, if I hadn't got there when I did who knows what that sick bastard would have done to you! He could have KILLED you!"

"YAMI!" Yugi leapt to his feet, appalled and slightly frightened by his darker half's sudden outburst. He laid a hand on the other boy's shoulder, and when he'd visibly calmed down, tried to speak again. "You really shouldn't..."

"It's okay Yugi. There's no need to keep him from expressing his oppinion, but I swear Yami if you ever call him a bastard again I'll..."

"THERE YOU GO AGAIN! Protecting that worthless, parasitic, useless excuse for a human being as if he were worth one TENTH of the gold he stole! Why are you defending him, Ryou? It's almost like you MISS Bakura, that thieving, evil..."

"STOP IT!" Ryou's voice cracked violently, echoing off the mostly bare walls of his home. Never before had he felt so angry. The boy could almost understand why his darkness hated all of that self-rightous shit. "Yes he used me, Yami! Yes he manipulated, beat, and raped me, but Bakura was as much a part of my life as Yugi is yours! Would it really kill you to at least be a little empathetic?" The boy's words had gone from enraged to hopelessly sad. "Bakura may have been ruthless, but he couldn't have always been so evil. I refuse to believe that anyone is born that way."

The boy's outburst was followed by complete silence. Yami looked thunderstruck and Yugi close to tears. Both were too shocked to speak, and the sorrow in Ryou's eyes seemed to reflect the only true light in the entire room. It was only when the grandfather clock by the coatrack began to chime that the boys were brought back to their senses. Yugi was the first to speak.

"Well Ryou, I don't really understand it all myself, but if..." The short, star-haired teen was cut off however, for at that moment a tremendous shudder wracked the entire house. It lasted only seconds, but the shaking bit deep, so deep in fact that it seemed to rattle their very souls. When it stopped, Yami, Yugi, and Ryou were once more left in silence. It was not a normal quiet, but a loud one, filled with uncertain shrillness. It seemed the world was hovering over an endless precipice. At any moment it might fall.

It felt as if hours were passing as they stood their at the invisible brink separating that which is known from that which has yet to be determined. Then the screaming began. It started low, no more than a whisper in the stagnant air, but quickly escalated until it was a full out wail. Yugi fell to the floor. Even Yami couldn't help but flinch, and both had to cover their ears. It was Ryou alone who stood his ground. Weak, little Ryou who couldn't throw a punch to save his life was the only one capable of withstanding the strange, soulless cry which seemed to be coming from... his bedroom? With a start he leapt forward and sprinted madly towards the stairs.

"RYOU! Where are you..." The rest of Yami's words were lost to the boy as he mounted the top step and turned down the hall. His ears were practically burning now, but somehow Ryou knew he had to get to what lay beyond that door. Things were about to change, but for once he was not afraid. In place of uncertainty the Brit felt a inexplicably wild and unhinged joy. Reaching his bedroom door, Ryou hesitated just a moment before pushing it wide open. The second his hand touched the doorknob the screaming stopped, leaving behind nothing but a faint buzzing in his ears.

What Ryou saw caused his heart to suddenly constrict. His room was generally kept very clean. It now looked as if a tornado had been through it. Drawers were open, clothes and papers blown askew. Even the sheets on his bed had become all twisted and gnarled and...

Someone was laying in his bed. What Ryou had mistaken for a fold in his cream colored sheets was the curve of a back. That rumpled pillow was a mass of silver hair. The Brit wouldn't have noticed at all if it weren't for the blood. Thick streams of it slid from the base of the thing's neck and across the pale skin, dying it's hair as well as the mass of blankets surrounding it a ruddy sort of crimson brown. Ryou's eyes widened. It couldn't be! Fate was never so cruel...

"Ba-Bakura?"

The thing on the bed gasped sharply and scrambled around so that it faced the other boy. Yes, it was indeed Ryou's yami. He was thin now, frighteningly so. Each rib and vertabrae was clearly defined. His face was gaunt like that of a bloody skeleton, bloody because of the horrible gash that dominated the right side of his head from jaw to brow. However these were not the most unnerving of the changes the malignant spirit had undergone. It was the look in Bakura's eyes that made Ryou tremble. All traces of defiance and mad courage had disappeared. In their place was fear, fear and insanity blended together to form something that reminded him distinctly of a shattered vase.

"Ryou..." The Thief King whispered his name just loud enough for the boy to hear. It was all he had strength for. Still, the light understood. How could he not? Bakura's voice was filled with such pleading despair it was enough to drive him to tears.

"Shh...its okay. I'm coming." Gently Ryou slipped a hand around his yami's waist and flipped him over so he could hold him in his arms. Bakura let out a sharp cry of pain. Arching his spine, the spirit began to struggle, unwilling to let his hikari see his bare chest.

"Bakura! Bakura, hold still! I'm not going to hurt you." The boy hadn't really meant it to be a command, but when he heard it the darkness went completely limp. Sighing, Ryou rolled him over onto his back.

"Oh God..."

It seemed the cut on Bakura's face was not his only injury. A huge tattoo now marred his once smooth flesh. It was in the shape of the Sennen Ring, points sticking straight out, and covered the majority of the thief's upper torso. The mark was only partially healed. In fact it appeared to have been seared into the skin, for the cuts were scabbed over with charred and cracking scabs. Ryou was at once reminded of the tombkeeper's insignia on Malik Ishtar's back. Had it looked even worse on the flesh of a ten year-old child?

"Please..." Bakura was too weak to finish speaking. Instead Ryou was forced to read his eyes. The Thief King was begging for mercy, begging for aid. The cut on his face was bleeding profusely. If he didn't get help soon the spirit would die and be left to the shadows forever.

"YAMI! YUGI! HELP!"

**-TOT (I hope you liked ch.1!)**


	2. 2 Running Out of Tears

**Chapter 2- Running out of Tears

* * *

**

"YAMI! YUGI! HELP!"

Ryou heard several confused exclamations from below and breathed a sigh of relief as the two star-haired boys came pounding up the stairs.

"Ryou! What's..." The sight before him left the former Pharaoh at a loss for words. Ryou sat upon his unmade bed, blood soaking the blankets as well as the front of his white shirt. Draped across the boy's lap was what appeared to be some kind of dead animal. It looked almost human, but because of the blood obscuring it's face and the rail-thin condition of it's body Yami couldn't be sure.

"Oh my God! Is that _Bakura_?" Yugi rushed forward, eyes wide in disbelief. Yami couldn't help but snort at his hikari's silly words.

"Come now Yugi. You know very well that the Thief is-"

"Hai, Yugi. It's Bakura." Ryou gave Yami a dirty look before turning his gaze imploringly to his fellow light. "Please Yugi! He's been hurt badly. If we don't get help for him soon I'm afraid he won't make it."

Yugi studied his friend's worried features and felt a surge of warmth rush through him. Ryou was the epitome of selflessness. After all his yami had done to him, the boy was still willing to do everything in his power to keep him safe. The Brit may not have been strong or incredibly brave, but there was something to be admired in such a pure act of compassion.

"Okay, Ryou. I'm going to call Kaiba to send over his private doctor. Bakura's not a citizen of Japan, and if we take him to a hospital there could be some awkward questions. You just stay with him while Yami gets some towels to try and stop the bleeding. Can you do that?"

The white-haired boy's face broke into a grateful, teary-eyed smile. "Yeah, of course."

Yami watched as his light took charge of saving Bakura. He may have been small, but Yugi was resourceful enough when need be. Still, the darkness felt sick about helping one of his greatest enemies. He gave the bloody mess in Ryou's arms a biting glare before stalking off to the bathroom to get some washcloths. Bakura had never caused him anything but pain, yet Ryou still felt obligated to help him. "Why do you do it?" the boy muttered under his breath. "Why do you have to be so damn good to a monster like him?"

* * *

_Malik knew this wasn't real, but still he felt uneasy. The boy was in his childhood home, the Tomb of the Unknown Pharaoh. The corridors were darker now than he remembered. He looked up, and the walls seemed infinitely tall. 'Yes, I'm definitely dreaming.' This thought, though truthful, did not help relieve the tension in his stomach._

_Malik began to wander the deserted halls aimlessly. It was all so surreal. In real life the crypt had never been this quiet. His childish laughter. Ishizu's scolding. There had always been something there to break the silence. Now there was nothing, nothing but the scuffing of his bare feet and the murmuring of his breath._

_Except that the sound of Malik's breathing didn't quite match the rising of his chest. Someone else was here with him. The egyptian swallowed dryly and attempted to ignore the prickling of his spine. 'That's silly. I'm all alone. This is a dream and there's no one here but...' Turning the next corner Malik came to the tomb's longest walkway. It led from the tombkeepers' living quarters to the Ceremonial Room where the Tablet was kept. Unlike the other corridors this one was lit by what seemed to be hundreds of guttering torches. However the majority of the light came from the Pharaoh's chamber just ahead._

_Malik knew he shouldn't go on, knew that whatever it was he would find in that room would not be pleasant. Still, this was a dream, and one did not behave sensibly while dreaming. The boy gasped as his feet began to make their way down the flame-lit hall. The breathing became even louder as he neared the chamber. In fact it sounded less like breathing and more like ragged pants or moans or..._

_A sharp cry echoed off the walls. It was familiar, like that of a child's. 'Why is he screaming?' But the Egyptian already knew. Unable to contain the horror welling up inside him Malik raced onward towards the Ceremonial Room. He had to find out once and for all who was being subjected to such torture, the same torture that he himself had been put through as a child._

_Finally he reached the archway that led to where the Unknown Pharaoh's memories were kept. Malik's eye grew very wide. It was as if he had stepped back in time. The Tablet loomed as it always had, casting a ominous shadow over the smooth stone pedestal in the center of the room. A boy was laying chest down on the great slab of rock. His back was bare and covered with blood. The man above him was shrouded all in black and held in his hand a knife so hot it burned white. He would gaze at the runes of the Pharaoh's memory for a moment stroking his beard, then bend down to add another scar to his son's back. The boy's dissheveled, blonde hair shook violently as he did this, his lavender eyes squeezing shut against the pain. He didn't cry out though. That was not permitted. Instead a piece of foul tasting cloth had been shoved down his throat. The man must have forced it into his mouth after the first scream was let loose._

_Malik felt his body begin to tremble. That was him lying on the stone. That was his father slowly burning away what remained of his innocence. This was his past, his life, his nightmare, but neither man nor child seemed to see him. The Malik that he was now was completely invisible to these dream-bound specters._

_You should feel honored my son. Not everyone is privileged enough to serve a pharaoh._

_The boy answered with a muffled whimper._

_What was that? The elder Ishtar's voice might have been filled with poison. Are you trying to say something, Mariku?_

_Mariku? No! That wasn't right. That was Malik splayed out on the stone, not his yami. Mariku was gone forever now. Malik had made sure of that at Battle City, hadn't he?_

_The boy on the pedestal shook his head violently. His hair whipped back and forth like golden lightning, sticking up and billowing in a nonexistant wind. The man with the knife smiled and stroked this mop of sweaty spikes mockingly. That's good, Mariku. We would not wish for you to anger the gods. With a derisive laugh he pressed his blade deep within his son's back, making the final touches to his masterpiece._

_Malik could see now that the boy was crying. He tried to hide it, allowing his bangs to fall over his eyes, but the elder noticed the sobs that wracked his young son's body._

_DID I EVER SAY YOU COULD CRY? Grabbing a fistful of the child's hair, the man forced his head up and back, allowing the gag to fall out of his mouth as he did so._

_The child clenched his eyes shut and shook his head. No!_

_Then you must be punished. With a flick of his wrist, the man forced the boy's head back even farther so that his bleeding back arched sharply. The child's eyes snapped open, and he let out an agonized shriek._

_Their eyes met. For an instant Malik once more descended into the world of his own past. He was looking at a mirror image of himself as a ten year-old child. 'That's how I looked on the day I recieved the Pharaoh's memories.' But something was still wrong. His name was not Mariku, and this boy was not Malik Ishtar. Those were not his eyes Malik was staring into, yet he knew them well._

_Help me. The Egyptian's yami mouthed the words so as not to attract the elder Ishtar's attention. Help me, please! Malik didn't move. He was afraid that if he did the outside world would collapse, and he'd be stuck in this nightmare forever. Besides, Yami Marik had never caused anything but death and sorrow. Why should he help something who cared for no one at all?_

_The child Darkness seemed to sense his hikari's thoughts, for at that moment he let out a terrible sob. Tears flowed freely down his cheaks now, flowed from deep, amethyst eyes that were as cold as ice and darker than midnight. The old man was laughing. Tossing his carving knife away he leaned over the boy's back, digging his hands into the warm blood beginning to dry there._

_This is your punishment little dog! You have defied the gods! You have defied me! Now I will give you real reason to scream!_

_The act being committed was one so heinous that even in his dream world Malik had to look away. He could still hear it though. The child's feeble wailing, his father's grunts of pleasure. When the Egyptian finally did find the strength to look up the man was long gone. All that remained was Mariku, sitting naked at the feet of the Tablet. Blood ran not only from his back but from between his legs, and he was still sobbing, sobbing with harsh and broken cries into the comfort of nothing whatsoever._

_Guilt overwhelmed Malik at that moment, and he bent down to reach out to the boy. Gently he touched the side of his face, wiping away the dirt and grime that marred the mocha-colored skin. The young yami reach out hesitantly to lay his little hand on top of Malik's. Slowly he raised his face. It was the hikari's turn to scream. Mariku had never stopped crying, but it seemed he had run out of tears. Blood alone now leaked from his eyes, blood that made the world around Malik lurch horribly._

"Malik! MALIK!"

The blonde teen sat bolt upright in bed and opened his eyes. "I-Ishizu?" Relief flooded the boy's senses as he gazed into his sister's worried face. 'It was just a dream after all...'

"Malik, we heard you screaming! What's wrong? Please tell me!" The normally reserved woman was close to tears.

Malik laid a slightly shaking hand on Ishizu's shoulder. "There's nothing wrong, not really. It was just a nightmare. I must have slept wrong or something." The woman hesitated a moment then nodded. It was clear that she was still terribly worried.

"O-okay. Then we'd better let you go back to sleep. Let's go Rishid." Giving her brother's hand a quick squeeze Ishizu got up and left the room. The Egyptian's adopted brother had been standing outside the door. Rishid lingered a moment in the doorway, stoic features blanketed with concern.

"You haven't had a nightmare in some time."

Malik tried to shake off the dream and answer his friend and guardian as naturally as possible. "I know, but really I don't think it was anything to bother yourself about." Rishid gave him a searching look with his jade-flecked eyes before giving a slight bow and dismissing himself. It was obvious he would get no further with the headstrong boy.

When his footsteps finally died away, Malik let out a long sigh. He'd had dreams about his past before, dreams that not only made him scream but made him plead and cry as well, but something about this escape of the subconscious had been different. It had not only left Malik scared out of his mind, it had left him feeling unexplainably empty and very confused. Not only had he dreamt of his yami for the first time in monthes, but he'd actually mistaken the Darkness for himself. It was unnerving. After spending so much time trying to convince himself that Mariku was a mere manifestation of his brain and in no conection whatsoever with his soul, Malik found this exceedingly eerie.

And there were other things as well. His father had by no means been a good person, but certainly he would never go so far as to rape his own son. 'NO! Not his own son! AN IMPOSTER!' Malik tried to remember the elder Ishtar more clearly. He was certain the man would never have done anything quite that vulgar. Not that he_cared _what happened to his darker half. That wasn't it at all. It was just that he knew his father wouldn't do something like that. It was just that...

"It doesn't matter." The egyptian was surprised by the amount of bitterness in his voice. That dream meant nothing at all. Malik had just overreacted. Now that he thought about it the nightmare had almost been funny it was so ludicris. His father was dead, and for all he cared Mariku could rot in the Shadow Realm for eternity. He only wished he hadn't given Ishizu and Rishid such a fright. 'I'll just explain it all to them in the morning. Nothing but a silly dream.'

Even after the 'silly dream' Malik didn't get an ounce of sleep all night. Instead he lay awake, staring into the vastness of his ceiling and trying desperately to think of anything but ancient memories and tears of blood.

* * *

**TOT (Thanks for the reviews!)**


	3. 3 Beyond Darkness, Beyond Hate

**Chapter 3- Beyond Darkness, Beyond Hate**

Ryou paced back and forth through his living room, waiting as Kaiba's personal doctor attempted to patch up Bakura. 'I can't believe he's back.' Somehow his yami had escaped the Shadow Realm, but at what price? The boy shuddered as he thought of the Thief's deplorable state. He was thin, bloody, and by the looks of it completely broken inside and out. Ryou felt sick remembering the horrible gash running across Bakura's face. That mark didn't seem like the kind that happened by accident. Someone had done that to him, but who would have the power to maim the Thief King himself?

"Excuse me, Mr. Bakura was it?"

Ryou jumped at the name, relaxing when he realized that he was being addressed by his family name and not that of the Spirit. "Y-yeah. That's me. I..."

"Follow me if you please. You can see your friend now." Leaping to his feet Ryou followed the angular, blonde woman up the stairs and into his bedroom, though at the moment it looked more like the Domino Hospital ICU than anything else. Bakura was lying very still in the center of the Brit's bed, the formerly messy sheets tucked neatly about him. Around the bed stood an assortment of medical machinary. He was hooked to a heart monitor as well as an I.V. Little sensors were stuck all over the tombrobber's emaciated chest.

"Is he going to be alright?" Gently the boy placed his palm upon Bakura's cold forehead.

The doctor cracked a reassuring smile before using her index finger to readjust the spectacles on her nose. "I can't see why not. He was bleeding rather severely, but once I stopped the blood and put him on some pain reliever, your friend's stablized quite nicely."

Ryou's gaze shifted from the doctor back to his yami's bandaged face. "Th-thank you. Really, if you hadn't come I don't know what I'd have done!"

The woman shook her head and laughed softly. "Don't worry about it kid. This is my job. I've been working for Mr. Kaiba nearly eight years, and I do as I'm told. Anyway I'm going to go now. Keep an eye on him through the night, and make sure he's kept very warm. Oh, and if he wakes up and is strong enough to drink, give him one of these." Digging through her oversized briefcase, she pulled out a large bottle of pills and pressed them into the Brit's waiting hand. "I'll be on my way now. Please call if anything comes up." With another smile and a slight bow the doctor exited the room leaving Ryou alone with his yami.

Not wanting to wake Bakura, the boy knelt quietly at the foot of his bed. Yami and Yugi had gone home by now, and all that could be heard was the sound of the tombrobber's raspy breathing. Ryou once more began to wonder what had befallen the formerly powerful darkness.

Who had strength enough to put Bakura into such a state? After all, he'd escaped the Shadow Realm several times before but never at this expense. It was almost as if he'd been trapped by something other than darkness, and whatever this something was it would stop at nothing to keep the Thief King within it's grasp.

"Ry..ou.."

The Brit gasped sharply as Bakura's eyes crept open. With a throaty groan he tried to sit up but fell back uselessly onto the bed.

"Yami, don't get up! You're injured." Rising to his feet, the light began to tuck the sheets back around the other's quaking form. Bakura would have none of this however and thrashed about wildly until Ryou was forced to hold him down by the shoulders. Blood leaked through the bandages on the Spirit's chest as he struggled, staining the gauze a bright crimson.

"Where is he? DAMNIT! WHERE IS HE?" The Thief's eyes darted about the room feverishly as his cracked and shaking voice grated Ryou's eardrums.

"Where's who? Bakura, what are you talking about?" The Brit was starting to panic. His yami had always been a bit insane, but he wasn't downright dellusional! "STOP IT! There's no one here but us! Whoever you're talking about, they're probably still in the Shadow Realm!"

The tombrobber's voice broke off abruptly as his head sank back into the pillows. The side of his face not completely swathed in bandages trembled slightly. "So he didn't make it."

Ryou shook his head and tenderly brushed the hair from his yami's eyes. "Shhh... it's alright now. He's gone. No one's going to hurt you."

But Bakura wasn't listening. Instead he just stared blankly at the ceiling, allowing the pain to seep back into his body after his brief exertion. He didn't see why he should really care. Sure he had made a promise, but since when did the King of Thieves bother keeping promises? 'I'm free. That's all that matters.'

The wide-eyed hikari breathed a sigh of relief as his darkness finally began to relax. Whatever terror had gripped Bakura was over. Ryou fished around in his pocket for the pills the doctor had given him, but the tombrobber was already nearly unconscious. Before he slipped back into sleep however, the weary spirit glanced over at the Sennen Ring draped innocently across the nightstand. In the dying light of the window it gleamed almost gently. Even in his sorry state, this struck Bakura as strange. How could something be so beautiful and so deadly at the same time?

_'Mariku...'_

Yami stared dully at the television, half willing for it to explode or at least do something more interesting than project that horrid gameshow. He wasn't even sure what it what the contestants were talking about other than that it had something to do with the hostess's breasts, which were unnaturally large anyway.

"Yami?"

"What is it aibou?"

Yugi was surprised by how moody the former Pharaoh had been since Bakura's reappearance. Sure they had hated eachother, but Ryou seemed happy to have the Thief back, and Yami did care quite a bit about Ryou. Then again, perhaps that was part of the problem. Was it possible that Atemu was jealous of the other spirit? "Um... there's a phone call for you. It's Malik."

This imediately took Yami off guard. Despite his antics at Battle City, Malik had been on good terms with the Yugi-tachi. He'd been angered when he heard about Bakura's banishment but upon learning what the tombrobber had done to Ryou had promptly changed his mind. Still, it wasn't every day that the violet-eyed boy would call all the way from Egypt.

"Yami here." There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Malik answered.

"Hey. How've you been."

"I suppose I can't really complain. What brings you to call me?"

The former Pharaoh spoke politely enough, but Malik seemed to sense his bad mood and got right to the point. "I had a strange dream last night. It was about my... my yami."

It was Yami's turn to pause. "About Marik? What do you mean?"

"I mean it had_him_ in it! At least I think it was him. At firstI thought it was me. I mean I thought I was seeing myself during the Initiation, but then I... I mean he... raised his head... and it wasn't me... but it wasn't him either... I mean it was him but..."

"Malik, are you alright?" The boy sounded as if he were about to cry. Either way he was very flustered. Yami had to get him to calm down. "Don't try to make sense of it just yet. Tell me exactly what happened, and I'll try to help you."

The violet-eyed hikari took a deep breath to steady himself before continuing. "It was strange. I was in my old home, the Tomb of the Unknown Pharaoh I mean. I knew it was a dream, but for some reason I was still afraid. You see there was this funny breathing sound, and I followed it... and there was so much blood. You have no idea! I... no he... was bleeding all over the place. And then he screamed, Marik not me, and he was begging for Father to stop, but he never did... and then he saw me and pleaded with me instead! And..."

Once again Malik was forced to stop as the emotions proved too much for him. Yami was beginning to feel uneasy. He waited a moment before pressing his friend to continue. "Then what happened Malik? Come on, it'll be okay."

"...and I didn't do anything. I just watched him being tortured because... because he's evil and I hate him and there was just so much blood! But I almost wish I would have Yami because it only got worse. Father was so angry at me... NO NOT ME, MARIKU! Well he was so angry, and he said he had to be punished. So when he was done carving Marik's back he climbed up on top of him and... he was a child you see and cou-couldn't protect himself...Yami, he was crying. HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO CRY!"

Hearing to the Egyptian's breathless sobs, the spirit realized he probably wouldn't be able to get much more out of Malik unless they were face to face. Besides, with all these strange events occuring it would probably be wise to bring the Ishtars to Domino City. At least that way if something happened Yami would be able to protect them. 'But from what?'

"Listen to me Malik. Have you told Rishid and Ishizu about your dream."

"Yes... well kind of. They don't really know what it was about. I mean I kind of..."

"Well I want you to tell them everything. Then you need to come to Japan as soon as possible. It's short notice I'm sure, but please just come. I'll explain it all when you get here."

"Yami?" The darkness cringed at the panic in his former nemisis's voice. "He's coming back, isn't he? That's why you want me to come, so that when he does get out you'll be able to help me! PLEASE YAMI! HE CAN'T COME BACK!"

Yami's thoughts flashed back to Bakura. Was it possible. Could Mariku possibly escape the Shadow Realm in the same manner as Bakura? Either way, the former pharaoh felt certain that Malik's dream and the Thief King's return were somehow connected.

"I will explain everything later Malik. Please, just get to Domino."

* * *

"...stop...pl-please stop..." Begging was not something the young spirit was used to. It didn't suit his nature. Still, this wasn't the first time he'd been forced to plead for mercy. Before he was banished the Darkness had practically groveled at his hikari's feet, had offered him powers beyond even that of the Pharaoh, but it hadn't worked then either. 

"Pleading will get you nowhere, Marik."

_The tears of the wicked will oft go unheeded._

He screamed as his tormentor's hot breath whistled unpleasantly across the back of his neck. "RA! STOP! PLEASE JUST STOP!" The spirit's naked body heaved as the creature pressed deeper inside. He was already engulfed in physical pain. Why did he now have to suffer the agony of that horrible voice? It brought to life his past, his future, the very fabric of his soul. "L-leave me alone!"

"Why can't you accept it? No ones around to hear your screams, and if the were..."

_When the demon weeps, no one will hear._

"St-st...AHHH!" Another shriek was torn from his lips as the Darkness felt a sudden warmth engulf his mutilated passage. He began to struggle, sweat-drenched body twisting into unimaginable forms in hopes of eluding further agony. He bit his lip so as no to cry, but already tears were flowing silently down his cheeks.

"...and if they were...they wouldn't care..."

_Looking into the eyes of the monster, do we see the heart of a child?_

"YOU CANNOT ESCAPE ME MARIKU! I AM BEYOND DARKNESS, BEYOND HATRED! YOU WILL SUBMIT TO MY POWER OR CRUMBLE AT MY FEET!" The creature grabbed Yami Marik by the chin, forcing him to look back into the face of his host's father, the man he'd killed six years ago.

_No innocence lost. It was never there at all._

There was nothing he could do but scream, scream as he stared up into his captor's eyes, eyes redder than fire and even more devoid of life than his own. Eyes that were so grotesquely inhuman that one felt they did not belong to the elder Ishtar at all.

_Who dares to listen?_

'Where are you Bakura? You promised.' Despite his precarious situation, Mariku almost laughed. What did promises mean to the Thief King, and to himself for that matter? 'I should have forseen Bakura's betrayal.' At one time the malignant spirit would have lusted for revenge, but he no longer had the drive. Fear was the only thing that registered in his mind now, fear of pain, of sorrow, of that nameless thing more terrible than darkness and hatred combined.

_Gallant oaths shatter, breaking the darkness._

The urge to laugh left him, and full realization finally struck. Mariku was alone, alone in a place so dark no one would ever hear him crying.

Help me! Help me, please!

* * *

-TOT (Thankyou to all Reviewers) 


	4. 4 Scars

**Chapter 4-Scars******

**

* * *

**

From the corner of her eye Ishizu watched her brother staring aimlessly out the airplane window. He looked more stressed than she'd seen him in a long time, but of course this was because of the dream. She wondered sadly what kind of terrors Malik went through while he slept.

"Brother?"

The violet-eyed boy turned to his sister. "What is it?"

"Does the Pharaoh truly believe that your yami has returned?"

Malik felt a lump forming in his throat as he saw the worry lurking beneath Ishizu's gaze. He never should have contacted Yami. Now everyone was bending backwards over a simple nightmare! Still, he remembered the concern in the darkness's voice. Something strange was happening in Domino. He could feel it. "H-he didn't actually_say_ that. I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said anything at all!"

Ishizu sighed. "Malik, if the Pharaoh believes something is wrong we ought to trust him. I'm positive Atemu and his companions can take care of anything that comes their way.

The plane flew onward towards Japan, a great, metal kite skipping across the sky. For a moment Malik wished he too could fly off through that sea of clouds. How much easier it would be to live in the air, just like a bird...or perhaps one of the gods. Then his thoughts returned to earth, and the boy once more thought of his friends, siblings, and though he tried not to, Mariku. He wondered if the Darkness really was in pain or if it was all a trick being used to manipulate him. 'Manipulated? By who? It was just a dream.' Anyway, it didn't matter. Malik didn't care what happened to his yami either way. After all, the only reason he'd agreed to come to Japan was to put everyone's minds at ease, right?

Ishizu had already said she held complete confidence in Yami's abilities, but Malik wasn't so sure. No one was infallible.

* * *

Ryou sprang dutifully to Bakura's side as he continued to thrash about in his sleep. For the past several hours the Thief had been restless, mumbling in broken sentences and picking at his dressings. He'dgone into a cold sweat, and no matter how many blankets the Brit piled on top of him, Bakura continued to shiver. "Sh...shhh..." Ryou was beginning to panic. The other boy was inconsolable. He'd sent for Doctor Katsume, but she had yet to arrive, and his ramblings were getting steadily worse.

"...Mar...not going to...prom...promises..." Bakura let out a soft 'hmph' before rolling onto his stomach and promptly screamed as his injured chest pressed against the sheets. Flinching at the noise, his hikari reached for his shoulders, trying to flip him back around.

"STOP IT!" Ryou straddled the tombrobber's waist, using his frail arms to pin him down by the shoulders. Bakura continued to thrash and mutter, though his eyes remained closed.

"...nghh...so sorry...I promised...it...hurts..."

"Wh-who are you talking to?" Ryou tried to steady his voice. Maybe if he spoke calmly Bakura too would settle down. "It's okay. The doctor will be here soon. She'll help you...I promise."

The Thief went ballistic. His eyes snapped open, and he gave a startled shriek. Gaze bright as fire, the yami shoved his light away and sat bolt upright in bed.

"MARIKU!"

Ryou gave a startled gasp. What did Malik's yami have to do with all of this? "Kura what's goin-"

The boy was cut off by the sharp buzz of the doorbell. With a worried glance towards his yami, Ryou sprinted downstairs to great the doctor. Bakura moaned softly to himself as his sank back into the bed. It didn't matter that he and Mariku had once been enemies. It didn't even matter that the Thief Kingwas supposed to care for no one at all. All the spirit seemed to hear was that smooth, compelling voice. All he saw when he slept were those amethyst eyes, wretchedly dark but tinged with something that might have been deeper. Drifting once more upon a turbulant sea of memories, Bakura knew this was one promise he had to keep.

_The first thing he noticed when he awoke was that he was no longer sealed inside the Ring, but he wasn't in the realm of light either. Bakura gazed at his surroundings. He was in a small cell, complete with heavy oak door and roughly hewn walls. A less experienced soul may have thought they'd made it back to the mortal world, but the tombrobber knew better. Through the uneven chinks in the stone nothing but darkness shone through, and when he looked up the walls spiraled upward forever into an endless void. Most unnerving of all however was the fact that, though no source of light was visible in the room, everything could be seen with startling clarity. This room had been hewn from shadows not stone and wood. Still Bakura had to admit, whoever had created it knew a great deal about the Shadow Realm's magic. The place even felt familiar in an abstract sort of way._

_The Thief rose to his feet and went over to examine the door. He may have been in the Shadow Realm, but that didn't mean things weren't still solid. Running his hands over the splintering oak and rusted iron he wondered who was keeping him here. Not that Bakura was worried. Far from it. He was simply curious in knowing who it was that had freed him from the Ring._

_"I'm afraid you'll find that door to be locked."_

_The spirit barely managed to supress a startled gasp. Instead he whirled around, peering into the darkened corners in search of the source of this voice._

_"Something wrong?" The shadows seemed to part, and a figure glided forward. He was tall, well over six feet, and clad in a black, gold-trimmed robe that hooded his eyes from Bakura's view. "It has been too long my friend."_

_"Who the hell are you?"_

_The man's lips broke into a smile that resembled a gash splitting across his face. Slowly he lowered his hood, revealing ghostlike skin and hair of dirty auburn. Eyes of startling crimson dug deep into those of the Thief's. Bakura felt his insides go very cold. This was impossible! Zork had been delt with in Memory World! How could he have returned, and how could he have come back looking almost human?_

_"I certainly hoped you would remember me. After all, this is where we first met."_

_Bakura let out a low hiss. That was why this place seemed familiar to him! He had been here before. No, that couldn't be! This was one of the Shadow Realm's illusions. It wasn't even real. "You may be having fun with your little game, but whoever you are know this! I have the power to destroy this little fantasy and you along with it! Stop this charade while you have the chance!"_

_The red-eyed figure cocked his head and smirked. "You're power means nothing!" Before the tombrobber could react the Zork-shade struck out, pulling him into a vice-like grip. Bakura screamed as a sudden hot pain wracked his body. It tore through the spirit like a plague. His mind shrieked. The blood in his veins was sizzling. For the first time in centuries the white-haired darkness closed his eyes and prayed, prayed for the agony to end, for a small bit of light to comfort him if only for a moment._

_A strange image floated upon Bakura's consciousness. A child, no older than twelve, being thrown forcefully into a little cell. He'd done something wrong, stolen something, and so he must be punished. He could hear the poor creature whimpering as the guards beat him to his knees and murmured horrible stories of what life would be like with a missing hand. Then he remembered a voice inside his head, telling him that he would give him the power to escape for almost no price at alll. The boy was at once both relieved and terribly frightened to hear this voice, relieved because he would get away from that dingy cage but frightened by the toe-curling cruelty behind his savior's words._

_And of course Zork had used him. It was Bakura's hate, his lust for revenge, that had made him such an easy target. Even now, over a millinia later, it seemed he was still subject to the demon's rule._

_But something wasn't right. He could sense his captor's aura, and though it was every bit as evil as Zork's had been, something about it was different. It was like the thing's eyes, not quite matching the person it was supposed to represent. No, this wasn't Zork, but it was a creature equally dangerous._

_"Do you remember now Bakura? Or perhaps you prefer Touzoko?"_

_The Thief shuddered. It knew his name! Not the name he had taken from his light but his actual _name_. But if this was not Zork, how could he know this? "Who are you?"_

_The phantom sighed in mock pity. "How pathetic! Your mind is already beginning to slip away from you." The thing's eyes glowed a brilliant red, and their surroundings changed. The cell melted away. In its place stood row upon row of clay huts. Clay brick walls shone bone white in the moonlight, all but for where blood had stained them a venomous black._

_"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe you're actually Zork? Stop this game!" Bakura's words sounded more like a plea than a command. The creature seemed to realize this, but it also realized that the spirit wasn't fooled. At once it began to change it's form. As Zork's features melted away, it felt to the Thief that those terrifying eyes were burrowing deeper and deeper into his soul. He bit down hard on his lip. It hurt. It was as if the monster were sorting through his memories, examining them until it found what it was looking for._

_"How about this? Do you remember who I am now?"_

_Bakura forced his eyes back to his captor only to find a girl of maybe sixteen years standing in his place. Her skin was the color of polished cedar. Her hair cascaded down her back like a ocean of stormy clouds. The voice too had changed. It was now soft, airy, even kind, but still it was false. Bakura stared fixedly at this girl, forgetting that she wasn't real, that her eyes were still shining with rancid blood._

_"Little brother..."_

_Bakura knew this wasn't real, that this creature wasn't his sister at all, but this time nothing could force down the terrified scream rising in his throat. The frosty hatred in his soul gave way, and the spirit was left with nothing but fear. He cried out again and again,slipping further into panic. He could see that Kuru Eruna wasn't empty after all. People swarmed all around him, and the flames crackled with fantastic intensity. The thing now hiding behind the faces of his past disappeared. Bakura was left to watch once more as his loved ones burned._

_"Why didn't you avenge our people, little brother? Even after I died for you...were you really too weak? Or were you just not trying?"_

_"No...NO!" A tearless sob wracked his entire body. He could hear her screaming now, screaming as the soldiers skewered her slender body with pikes and daggers. He heard the sickening thud as she was slung over someone's shoulder and carried away to be tossed into the vats of molten gold and shadowy intentions. The Thief tried to tell himself that this was a malignant spirit and not his sister, but as the fires spread he found it harder and harder to hold this thought. Others were being taken as well. Silence suddenly filled the air, broken only by the moans of those unlucky few who were not quite dead. Bakura fell to his knees._

_"Please," he whispered. "Please stop this." It was almost as if the shadows had been waiting for a cue. In an instant Kuru Eruna dissolved, and he was once more in the confines of the little cell. So abrupt was this change that for a moment the tombrobber fell into a daze. His vision blurred, and all he was aware of was the burning in his chest and the welcomed disappearence of his terrifying captor. He watched the unnatural light dance across the walls. One spot seemed to be flickering with exceptional voracity._

_"I see she's found you as well, Bakura. Welcome to the domain of the Priestess."_

_Bakura stumbled back in surprise before taking a moment to regain control of his eyesight. His breath caught as he realized who it was that he'd mistaken for a bit of shifting light._

_Mariku was far weaker than he'd ever been at Battle City. He was propped against the wall and didn't look as if he even had the strength to get up. The Darkness' once well-muscled body had wasted away, leaving his shoulders and slightly bent knees looking far too angular. In fact, if it weren't for his mass of disgruntled hair, Bakura wouldn't have recognized the young spirit at all. Even his eyes had changed. They still held insanity, but the gleam of sadism had vanished. Instead it had been replaced by Mariku's own pain along with a good deal of desperation and...and acceptence. But at least his eyes were violet. At least Bakura could be sure that this familiar face was no imposter._

_"What in Ra's name are you doing here?" The Thief moved towards the Darkness but flinched as the agony in his torso flared. Looking down he was surprised to see a number of geometrical gashes covering his bare chest._

_Mariku smirked mirthlessly at the other's stupified expression. "They are shallow now, but each time the Priestess comes the scars will burn deeper."_

_"How do you know this?"_

_"I've been here for some time."_

_"And your scars?"_

_Mariku's smile faded, and in that instant his eyes reflected such despair that even the tombrobber was moved to pity. The blonde pulled his knees closer to his chest, allowing Bakura to glimpse the crusted blood drying on his thighs. They stayed like this for what seemed like hours, the Thief staring queasily at the other's violated body. Mariku bowed his head, and for a moment the other thought he had passed out, but then the answer came, lost and hurt and wretchedly broken._

_"There are many kinds of scars."

* * *

_

**-TOT**


	5. 5 Soulless Lament

**PLEASE READ AUTHOR'S NOTE AT BOTTOM OF PAGE!**

**Chapter 5- Soulless Lament

* * *

**

Yugi sat firmly between Jounochi and Anzu, silently watching the travellers as they passed by. He was hoping for a sign of the Ishtars, and they'd already been at the airport for over an hour. It wouldn't have been so bad if_everyone_ hadn't decided to come. Yugi did enjoy their company, but he felt that this was something Yami and he should have done alone.

"I sure do hope Malik's alright! I mean if he's coming all the way to Domino because of a nightmare..."

Blocking out Anzu's voice, Yugi glanced at the arrivals board flashing above them. "Hey guys, it looks like their plane has just arrived." Sure enough a mop of golden blonde could be seen exiting the terminal.

As they got off the plane Malik broke away from Rishid and his sister. He smiled to himself, perhaps his first real smile in forty-eight hours. The boy hadn't seen the Yugi-tachi since the fateful Memory World, and even then they hadn't had much time to socialize. He even felt nervous, the giddy, bubbling sort of nervousness a child feels on the first day of school. Malik was fairly sure they would receive him warmly, but in the back of his mind a part of him still worried. 'What if they haven't forgotten?'

"YO ISHTAR!"

Whatever fears the Egyptian had harbored were put to rest instantly as Jou's abrasive accent rattled in his ears. Glimpsing the group of friends up ahead, Malik paused to wave before quickening his pace. At least they _seemed _happy to see him.

"Malik!" Yugi's climbed on top one of the plastic airport chairs to catch a good glimpse of the boy. He smiled as the Egyptian jogged up to them, breathless and looking almost relieved. From what Yami had said he'd expected Malik to be a basketcase, but at the moment he looked perfectly normal.

"Yugi! Yami! Oh, hey guys! Where's Ryou?"

Yami visibly flinched at this question. How was he supposed to tell Malik that the Brit was currently taking care of his critically wounded yami who had magically reappeared from the Shadow Realm and that this was most likely related to the terrifying dream the Egyptian had had about his own banished Darkness? It wasn't the kind of thing you wanted to drop on someone just like that.

"We'll get to that later Malik. For now lets get out of this airport. It's a bit too crowded for my taste."

The blonde hikari nodded and gave Yami a sheepish smile. "Yeah, that might be a good idea. Hey Rishid! Ishizu! Over here!" Everyone including the former Pharaoh laughed as Malik waved and bounced on the balls of his feet, looking ridiculous as he tried to catch his friend and sister's attention.

Anzu bent down and whispered in Yugi's ear, "Is this really the same guy who tried to take over the world just two years ago? He's like a totally different person!"

The star-haired boy smiled gently. "I guess that means there's hope for everyone then, doesn't it?"

"Nah, I can think of a couple who wouldn't change if their lives depended on it. Bakura an' Seto ta name a few!"

"Jou, now is_not_ the time."

Once the other Ishtars had joined the group and their baggage been collected everyone turned out to wait for the bus. Yami watched Malik from the corner of his eye. True, the boy was in better spirits than he'd hoped to find him, but something still wasn't right. Fear lurked behind the Egyptian's eyes, and he seemed to be surrounded by some sort of weird aura.

"Malik did you by any chance bring the Sennen Rod with you when you came over?"

"No, I..." The boy began digging through his bag. "I don't usually carry it with me any more. It's not as if I ever have a need to..." Malik gasped sharply as his hand bumped into something cold and slender. Slowly he drew the Rod out from the depths of his duffle. He stared up at the others, horrified. "Y-Yami you've got to believe me! I didn't mean to bring it! I must not have been paying attention! I..."

The spirit shook his head and patted the Egyptian reassuringly. "Don't worry, Malik. We believe you. How the Sennen Rod made it's way into your bag is a mystery, but I have a feeling we'll be a step closer once we talk to Bakura."

"Bakura?"

Malik looked quizzically at his friends, none of whom seemed the least bit surprised at hearing the Thief's name. 'This just gets weirder and weirder.'

* * *

From the confines of his cell Mariku listened to his own labored breathing. Each intake of oxygen burned all the way down, causing the Darkness to shudder and squirm. Staring up into the blackness of the nonexistant ceiling he wondered what Bakura was doing at that very moment. 'Probably laughing at my stupidity,' the yami mused. 'I guess I deserve this. If I was that gullible...' Mariku closed his eyes, trying to silence his breathing as he listened. In the Shadow Realm, if he was very quiet, occasionally the spirit could hear echoes of the world of light. It was ironic he thought that after trying so hard to bring about complete darkness he now clung to these few shreds of humanity like a final lifeline. Wind, laughter, tears...sometimes even more. It was how Bakura and himself had first devised their plan for escape. After all, the Priestess' domain lay on the very edge of the two realms of existance.

But voices did not come to Marik as he lay bleeding in the dark. Instead he found himself looking back on a less lonely moment in time.

* * *

_"So you've been here since Battle City?"_

_The Darkness nodded. "When Malik forced me out I was still anchored to his mind, though I had no power over him or anything else. Then She came and tore me away from there."_

_Bakura scooted a bit closer, eyes locked intently on Mariku's. "And would you rather still be there, chained inside your hikari's soulroom?"_

_Mariku's thoughts reflected inward as he pondered the Thief's question. Was he more frightened of the Priestess' torture, or was the crushing nothingness of his former prison even worse? "I-I couldn't say. Both were unbearable." The spirit's voice sounded pathetic even to his own ears. How had he been reduced to this? Nothing more than a common whore. Marik tried suddenly to clamber to his feet, only to fall back against the painfully rough wall. He gave a short, bitter laugh._

_"What's so funny?"_

_The blonde shook his head dismissively and gave Bakura a strange look. "You must find it quite amusing seeing me like this."_

_Bakura could think of no response to this. Normally he would have spit out some sort of cocky reply, but for some reason the Thief couldn't bring himself to do this. Instead he drew closer, unexplicably drawn to the tormented and destroyed creature that was Yami Marik. To see such despair in eyes that were once cold as ice, to see blood running down the thighs of one of the few people who had ever defeated him. It was the kind of thing Bakura might have dreamed of, but in his maddest dreams the spirit would have never felt like this. He should have been elated, should have relished the thought of bringing more pain to his enemy. Instead the Thief stretched out his hand and placed it lightly on Mariku's cheek._

_It was only when the blonde flinched that Bakura became angry. Weakness of any kind had always pissed him off. How dare Mariku act so pitiful! With a fustrated growl the Thief belted him hard across the face. "Don't fucking shy away from me! What are you, Ry..." The hikari's name died on his lips. Mariku could have sworn that Bakura's already frosty skin grew a shade lighter. This strange reaction peaked the Darkness' interest._

_"And why have you been cast from the world of light, robber? What is your story?"_

_Bakura opened his mouth as if to answer, but a snarl of fustration escaped instead. A flare of agony ripped through Mariku as he was dragged from the ground and slammed up against the wall. Ignoring both the blonde's injuries and those of his own bleeding chest the Thief began to beat the other, punching and raking his nails against every available bit of Mariku's skin. Finally, more because he was exhausted than merciful, Bakura stepped away. The other spiritjust swayed for a moment before crashing down hard upon his knees. Only when he hit the ground did the Darkness cry out. Bakura glared down at the writhing form, a vengeful glint illuminating his already blood-cold eyes._

_"Stay out of my business, boy!" It felt good to say this, good to remember that no matter how much destruction he'd caused, Mariku was still a child in comparison to most other malignant spirits. Seeing him now, shivering at his feet, only heightened this realization._

_"Just cower like the dog you are, yadu..."_

_  
For the second time Bakura had compared the blonde's weaknesses to that of his hikari. The very thought of Ryou made him sick, not because the boy was soft. It was because... because he felt guilty. After all the terrible things he'd done, the tombrobber was rediscovering how uncomfortable selfless emotions could feel. Where moments before he had relished the painful look on the other yami's face, seeing Mariku now made Bakura want to throw up._

_But of course he didn't. Instead the Theif continued to watch Mariku. The Darkness lay on his stomach, legs curled beneath him, limber arms all akimbo. His face was covered by a spray of golden hair which stood out vividly against the bloodied waste of skin and shredded clothing. Bakura swallowed hard. He couldn't let this happen. Being heartless had worked for centuries. There was no reason it should fail now, but then why did he suddenly regret what he'd done to Ryou? Why did that confused and insanely shattered look in Mariku's eyes make his own gaze burn?_

_"You... you can get up now." Shaking slightly with what he was about to do Bakura knelt down and set his hand gently on the other's shoulder. The blonde flinched again, and, realizing he'd done so, buried his face in the dirt and waited. The white-haired spirit was once more struck with how childlike the Darkness suddenly seemed._

_"I won't hit you."_

_Peaking out from behind his bangs, Mariku glanced up at Bakura before attempting to rise. His movements were jerky as he struggled to plant his feet, and wave upon wave of vertigo wracked him until the spirit was sure he would have spilled the contents of his stomach had it been more substancial than semen and rancid blood. The blonde sank back down with a rattling sigh._

_"It doesn't matter. I can't get up anymore."_

_"...that's alright. You don't have to."_

_Knowing that he had already sealed his doom, Bakura snaked his arm around the other's lower back and carefully pulled him into his lap. Mariku did nothing to prevent this. He was just too physically and mentally tired to object. Instead he collapsed easily into the comforting heat of the tombrobber's body. Bakura couldn't help noticing now more than ever how little clothing the other yami was wearing. He himself was in his red robe, perhaps conjured up because of this place's strange affinity with the past. Either way, Mariku's barely intact, beige tunic left little to be imagined. The curve of his ass was strikingly prominent as were the scars and bruises covering it._

_"You don't have to do this." Mariku stared at the wall as he spoke. "You should get revenge on me for sending you to the Shadow Realm during Battle City. Its not as if I'm going to fight back."_

_Bakura buried his face in the crook of the Darkness' neck, secretly pleased when the blonde did not shy away. "I'm out for the blood of so many people, I suppose its forgivable if I forget tobring vengenceupon a few."_

_Mariku simply nodded, accepting the Thief's mercyin the same way he would his wrath. The spirit was past the point of truly caring what happened to him. The results would always be the same. Then again, he'd never quite realized how lonely the Shadow Realm really was, and something about Bakura's gruff but euphonous voice _was_ rather soothing._

* * *

Sitting alone in the once again frigid cell, Mariku couldn't help but smile. He hesitated to call what he felt for Bakura love, at least not the kind the Thief had been hoping for. Still, he missed him. For one who had been born in the shadows, it sure was hard getting used to being alone again.

"Why does my little pet smile? I've given him no reason to smile! Only to cry... and bleed of course."

By now the blonde was used to the sudden appearances of the Priestess. She flitted about her domain with the ease of a specter, moving through walls that were solid to those of lesser magic.

"What do you want?" Mariku had long ago stopped caring how much extra punishment rudeness would earn him. In a way he was punishing himself for his own stupidity. If he hadn't allowed Malik to banish him in the first place...

There was a flash of Shadow Magic, and a deep, baritone laugh suddenly echoed through the prison. "You don't learn very quickly,do you? Well I suppose you can't really help this stupidity seeing as you're nothing but a bunch of thrown out emotions anyway, but really. No one's THAT dense."

Mariku ignored the insult. He'd long come to accept that he had next to nothing as far as a soul was concerned. Being born of Malik's leftovers had bothered him at one time, but he had eventually came to terms with his inhumanity. It wasn't something he could change. While others died and found their respective places in the afterlife, the Darkness would be left behind, rotting forever in the Priestess' chambers.

"If the only reason you came was to remind me of what I already know then perhaps you'd be better off leaving."

The thing in the shadows hissed with rage and appeared, not as a twisted old woman or beautifully cruel seductress, but as a tall man dressed in the garb of ancient Egypt. As usual the Priestess had taken on the form of the elder Ishtar, and though Mariku knew it was only an illusion used to heighten the pain, each time he heard that familiar voice and saw those terrible red eyes that certainly were not those of Malik's father, the yami was afraid. He felt as though he were growing smaller and smaller, shrinking until he was swallowed up by the monster's great shadow. Then the nothing around him would whisk Mariku away from the little prison, leaving him instead in a flame-lit chamber that smelled of thousands of years spent underground. The stonewas cool beneath him, and the Tablet dark and foreboding above, but the true terror was his host's father, or the thing that feigned to be him. The man was a phantom of the past. His hands were rough, his dagger swift.

And so the hikari's agony bacame that of the yami as did the added perversity of the Dark Lady's sick humor. Each time the Priestess came it was the same yet every bit as terrifying as the last. Mariku knew he would never get used to it. He could go through it a thousand times, his body beaten and desecrated past the point of recognition, and still the Darkness would scream. 'I'm losing my mind,' he thought dully. 'Or at least the bit of it I had in the first place.' He wished for perhaps the hundreth time that Bakura hadn't left him. The Thief wasn't ideal, but he could understand Mariku's pain. He could keep him warm as well. The Shadow Realm really was unbearably cold.

* * *

"When will he be here?"

Ryou sighed. Ever since Bakura had learned Malik was coming he'd been asking that question every fifteen minute. It was better than the terrified ramblings of the Thief's sleeping fits, but the Brit's patience was wearing thin.

"I don't know. Yugi and the others went to pick him up at the airport. They said they'd come right over."

"Hmph," the spirit growled. "I said I wanted to speak with Malik not the Pharaoh!"

"Well it certainly isn't MY fault!"

Bakura smirked at his light's rage-blotched face. "It seems you've developed a bit of a temper in the time I've been away."

"Yeah, well things haven't exactly been easy around here after you..." The boy clapped a hand over his mouth, mortified by what he'd almost said. How could he be so stupid? Injured or not this was _BAKURA_ he was dealing with. "Wh-what I meant t-to say wa-"

"Ryou... I'm sorry."

The Thief absolutely refused to meet his light's gaze as he said this. Instead he fiddled with the little bandage where the IV used to be. Ryou stared, wide-eyed at the other boy. Had Bakura meant it? The hikari tried to see past the bandages on the tombrobber's face and into his soul. The spirit's eyes were as full of madness as ever, but there was a new glint of purpose to them that hadn't existed before. There was also sadness, though that had always been present evenin the beginning. It had been a sort of quiet, desperate sorrow, far overshadowed by his lust for revenge. Never had it been so prominent as it was now.

Ryou didn't know what to say. Something had obviously happened to bring about this change in Bakura, but the Brit was at a loss as to what it might be. He could assure the spirit he was forgiven, though that wasn't completely true, or he could let out all the pain he'd been storing up inside and let Bakura be the weak one for once. This didn't seem right either. Instead the light and dark sat in uncomfortable silence, broken only when the sound of the Yugi-tachi and Ishtar family at his doorstep caused Ryou to excuse himself.

"I'll let Malik on up, but it might be harder to keep Yami at bay. I know how much you hate him, Kura, but please try not to pick any fights. You're still injured."

Bakura shook his head in wonder as the boy left. Ryou was one of those people he just couldn't understand. Sure he wasn't strong, but there was a resiliance about the light the tombrobber hadn't noticed before. He was truly sorry for what he'd done, and a part of him even wanted to make it up to the Brit. However the Thief had more important things to think about. He had to rescue Mariku. It had nothing to do with honoring his promises. Bakura was doing this because he wanted to. He even thought he might love the blonde, frightening a thought though it was. Either way he would find a way to get him back, and Malik Ishtar was going to help.

* * *

-TOT (Hope you enjoyed, sorry for all the OOCness, please read A/N)

(A/N: This is probably pretty lame, but I need some help finding a fic. It's one involving Malik, Marik, and Bakura as a couple. I think Ryou's with Seto. Anyway, Marik has to take meds so he doesn't go crazy but doesn't take them because he hates being under their influence. He goes nuts, raping Malik and stabbing Bakura. Both die of their injuries. When Marik realizes what he done he feels awful. The fic ends with Yami Yugi and Marik together at Bakura and Malik's graves. If anyone has any info that might help me find this story it would be much appreciated. Arigatu!)


	6. 6 Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

**Chapter 6-Picture's Worth A Thousand Words

* * *

**

Yami grew more and more somber as they neared the Bakura household. On the outside he appeared his usual, collected self, but in truth the former Pharaoh was seething. He kept picturing Ryou over and over again, caring for the wretched thief, bathing his wounds and watching over him while he slept. The scarlet-eyed spirit wondered jealously if anyone would do that for him. Sure, he protected Yugi and the rest of his friends, but if Yami ever lost his strength would they still stick by him?

Shaking away these feelings of abandonment the boy chanced a glance over at Malik. The Egyptian, having learned of Bakura's strange reappearence, looked slightly ill. He also looked angry, as if Fate had no right to do this to him. Then again, Fate had never been a particularly fair mistress.

"He hasn't tried to do anything to Ryou, has he?" Malik's eyes narrowed as he said this, and for an instant the teen resembled his darker half.

Yugi shook his head. "No. As far as I know Bakura's still bedridden. His injuries... they're pretty awful."

"Come on, don't tell me you feel_bad _for that creep!" Honda rolled his eyes. "If you ask me we should have just let him bleed to death!"

"Ya, well dat could still be arranged if ya git what I'm sayin'."

"Honda! JOU! Will you _please _be quiet?"

"Sheesh Anzu, we was only jokin'!"

"Yeah, its not like we'd actually go through with it!"

Conversation trickled down into silence as they mounted Ryou's front porch. The Brit's house was as serene as ever. The walkway was swept. The windows were clean. Even the little garden in front had been recently weeded. No one would have guessed that any sort of magic had ever taken place here.

"Hey Ryou!" Yugi rang the doorbell as he called out. "We're here!"

"Coming!" There was a pattering of hurried feet. Then the door swung open, and the beautiful but slightly breathless boy came into view. "Come on in guys. Sorry about the wait. I was upstairs. Oh hey Malik!"

The Egyptian smiled sheepishly at Ryou. It was nice to be greeted so warmly, but he couldn't help noticing the scar on the boy's left arm. _'If it weren't for me that wouldn't be there.' _As everyone filed into the Brit's living room he took Malik aside.

"Bakura's upstairs, first door on the left. He wants to talk with you alone."

The blonde only nodded and with a hushed word to Rishid and Ishizu was on his way. Leaving the Yugi-tachi behind he mounted the stairs and made his way to Ryou's bedroom. The sight of Bakura almost caused him to jump. Laying in bed with bandages covering most of his body, the Thief was half of what he used to be. Still, he managed a cocky grin.

"It's been a while."

"It has, hasn't it."

Bakura studied the violet-eyed hikari carefully. Malik had changed greatly since Memory World. When Atemu had at last regained the knowledge of his past it was as if some sort of weight had been lifted from the boy. His family's oath was completely fulfilled, and the Egyptian could begin to enjoy his life. Not only was Malik no longer out for revenge, but he was beginning to come to terms with his guilt as well. He was by no means perfectly normal, but the boy was healthier, stronger, and much more light-hearted than the Thief had ever seen him before. Bakura growled to himself as he compared Malik's state with that of Mariku. He remembered how he'd been able to count all of the Darkness' ribs, how most of the time the yami couldn't even stand, how he'd lost all sense of himself drowning in the pain. Seeing Malik so full of life triggered an unexpected sense of injustice in the tombrobber. He thought he'd be happy to see the Egyptian. Instead, Bakura could bring himself to do no more than sneer.

"_You _certainly seem to be doing well, Malik."

Malik frowned. Ryou had made it sound as if the Thief had wanted to see him. Why then was he being so cold? "Is something wrong, Bakura?"

The spirit chuckled harshly. "Oh no, everything's wonderful! I've only spent the past months wasting away in the Shadow Realm, come back half dead, and seen you and everyone else I hate doing so well its sickening!" Ignoring the sharp pain that ran through his body, Bakura took the Ring off the nightstand and dragged himself out of bed. On unsteady legs he crept towards the Egyptian, angry smile making him look like some kind of demon. "You know Malik, sometimes I wonder why I ever joined up with you in the first place. You didn't fulfill your part of the bargain at Battle City, and during Memory World you had the audacity to help the Pharaoh! That's not what one would call loyalty, now is it?"

The blonde was too shellshocked to respond. He'd seen Bakura angry before. Hell, he'd seen Bakura down right psycotic! But this was different. Behind the tombrobber's pissed off exterior, Malik sensed a sort of cold desperation. Whatever was eating away at the man's already frayed sanity, it was obvious that he was somehow connected to it.

"I've changed, Bakura. What we did at Battle City was wrong. What you did during Memory World, and what you did to Ryou are unforgivable. I won't help you anymore, not after that."

The look that came into the spirit's eyes when Malik said this was truly frightening. He clenched the Sennen Ring cumpulsively, struggling not to attack the Egyptian then and there. "I'm afraid you don't understand," Bakura murmured through clenched teeth. "You _WILL_ help me this time whether you wish to or not!"

* * *

It had taken all of Yami's self-control to let Malik go upstairs alone. Now that the Thief was conscious and at no imediate risk of dying, the Pharaoh wanted to give him a piece of his mind. He was also rather curious as to how Bakura had managed to get out of the Shadow Realm, but any hopes Yami might have had of interogating Bakura had been put to rest by Ryou. The Brit had insisted that Malik should speak with him alone before anyone else tried to. So now the scarlet-eyed spirit was stuck in the living room drinking tea and picking at his cake.

"So you just opened your bedroom door and he was right there?" Anzu's voice sounded even more shrill than usual.

"Well there was a bit more to it than that but yes. That's basically what happened."

"He didn't try ta hurt ya did he?"

"Jou, we've already been over this. Bakura could barely stay conscious much less..."

"Any idea how he managed to escape again?"

"No Honda, I..."

"Will you_please _stop pestering him? If Ryou knew anything more I'm sure he'd tell us!" Everyone went silent as Yugi spoke. It was unusual for the boy to raise his voice at all, and all except Yami were a bit shocked. The Pharaoh merely smiled at his hikari before addressing the others.

"Yugi's right. I think we can all agree that Ryou's under enough stress without all these questions. We'll figure it out soon enough when we talk to Bakura." Chancing a quick peek in the Brit's direction, Yami inwardly beamed at the boy's grateful smile.

"Yes, and the sooner we find out the better." Ishizu rose from her seat and stared up towards Ryou's bedroom. "I believe I understand why you wanted us to come, Pharaoh. You're afraid that my brother's Darkness might escape in the same manner as Bakura."

The Yugi-tachi gave a collective gasp, but Yami just nodded. "Yes, that is a part of it. Especially after hearing about Malik's..."

"YOU SICK FUCK, NO!"

Everyone jumped to their feet upon hearing the Egyptian's enraged cries. They dashed upstairs just in time to find Bakura pinning theother boy up against the wall. The Thief's skin had gone a chalky gray, and he was trembling, but through sheer determination he managed to keep the struggling Malik in place. "You don't have a choice," he hissed. "Where's the Rod?"

"I-I didn't bring it."

"LIAR! I can sense it's presence! Tell me or I'll..."

"Kura?"

The tombrobber directed his attention towards Ryou just in time for Rishid to tackle him to the ground. Bakura screamed in pain as the heavier man crushed his injured body into the floor.

"Wait! Please don't hurt him!" The Brit ran to the rescue of his yami, eyes begging Rishid to let him go. The eldest of the Ishtar family backed away, but he still eyed the Thief warily. Kneeling down Ryou helped Bakura into a sitting position. Though he was still gasping in agony the spirit kept his glare trained on Malik.

The blonde in turn was also staring daggers at his former partner. "I won't do it! Nothing you can say will change my mind!" Bakura opened his mouth to speak, but the boy cut him off with a jerk of his head. "I don't give a damn what kind of tortures he's been put through in the Shadow Realm. He deserves it!"

"You _BASTARD_! You can't possibly understand!" Once more Bakura staggered to his feet only to be forced into a headlock by his hikari. Desperately Ryou tried to reach him through their mind link.

_/Bakura! Onegai, stope this/_

The Thief only struggled harder, sending his lighter half garbled phrases as he did so._ /...you don't get it...Malik...the Rod...its the only way.../_

_/The only way to what/_

_/...Mariku...I promised.../_

The teen's blood went cold as realization finally struck him. This is what Bakura had been fretting about in his sleep. He wanted to free Malik Ishtar's darker half. "You've got to be kidding! Why on earth would you do that?"

It was only when everyone was staring at him that Ryou realized he'd spoken aloud. There followed an uncomfortable silence, broken only when Yami cleared his throat. "Just what does Bakura want of you, Malik?"

"H-he wants me to free him! To let him go!" Malik's eyes were wide, his voice threatening to crack.

"Let who go?"

"My yami!"

Everyone turned to stare at Bakura, who merely curled his lip in disdain. He tried to look confident, but the spirit was inwardly shaken. He'd been counting on Malik's guilty conscious to help him get Mariku back. Now that he saw how deeply the other's hatred ran the Thief didn't know what to do.

"I think it is time you explained to us exactly how you escaped the shadows, Thief." Ishizu's gaze was steely as she spoke. She'd obviously expected something like this of Bakura.

"That's none of your Ra-damned..."

_/Please just tell them, yami. It's the only chance you've got./_

The tombrobber gave his hikari a startled glance and nodded. It seemed he had an allie after all. "When the Pharaoh banished me I was only in the Ring for a short time. I remember hearing this sound...like screaming, and then I passed out. When I woke up I was in a cell. She was there." Leaning against the foot of Ryou's bed, Bakura tried to figure out how best to go on.

"Who da heck is _'She'_?" Jou jabbed an accusing finger in the spirit's chest. "Sometin's fishy about dis story!"

Biting his lip at the stab of pain that came with the mutt's poke, the Thief shoved him away. "If you don't want hear it then leave! I'm not going to waste my time with scum like you!" Wrapping his arms tightly about himself Bakura continued. "She took me and put me in this cell. I was alone at first, but after... after she was done playing...I was sent back, and he was there. We thought we couldn't escape, but when he...Mariku...told me he could hear voices on the outside I realized how close to the world of light we must be. I made a plan. When the Priestess came to us we'd call out to our hikaris." The spirit paused to glance over at Ryou, who was looking very pale. "If we were lucky they would hear us and the Items would react, creating a portal back into this world."

Yami regarded Bakura with a sense of satisfaction. "Judging by your current state and the fact that Mariku isn't with us I'd say your plan was a bit of a flop."

The robber snarled. "In case you were to stupid to pick up on a few things the Priestess was the one who did this to me, not some Shadow Magic experiment gone wrong, and if Malik hadn't fucked things up it would have worked for Marik too!"

Malik dug his nails into his palms. As he listened to Bakura his mind was filled with nothing but rage. "And you expected me to forgive him. After all he did to me? He tried to destroy the world! He killed my father!"

"Ryou forgave me. Why couldn't you do the same?"

Malik tried to hold the spirit's gaze but couldn't. There was just too much anguish in Bakura's eyes. What he said was true. After what he'd done to Ryou, it was amazing that the Brit had found it in his heart to forgive him, but the Egyptian would never give his yami a second chance. Hejust wasn't that good. "No way in Hell."

The Thief gave a broken gasp. He'd tried everything, tried asking, demanding, forcing, even guilting the blonde into helping him, but Malik still stood firm. For once in his life Bakura was trying to do something right, and still he was stopped. _'I've failed.' _With a desperate cry he tackled the blonde, hoping somehow to make him consent. He remembered Mariku as he'd seen him last, and the image was driving him mad. It burned so bright in the yami's mind that Ryou as well as the boy he was currently trying to beat into the carpet saw it too.

----

_"You're just wasting your time. There's no way this will work."_

_Bakura laughed lightly and shook his head. "You should learn to trust me, Marik. After all I am much older and more experienced than yourself."_

_The Darkness gave a derisive snort. "Remind me of that the next time I beat you in a Shadow Game."_

_"Hmm...this is the best mood you've been in since Battle City. Perhaps you have more faith in me than you'll admit."_

_Mariku picked idly at an ugly scar near his collarbone and shrugged. "Well if anyone has a chance I suppose it would be you."_

_Frowning, Bakura turned to his companion. "And why the fuck wouldn't you be able to escape?"_

_"You were born in that world, normally I mean. Its where you should be, but I...I was created here, in the shadows. It's only natural that I should remain." Mariku stared at the ground as he said this, not used to conveying his thoughts out loud. "I don't have a choice. It's where I belong."_

_"Mariku, if you ever say something that stupid again I swear to Ra I willKILL you!" Bakura leaned dangerously over the other spirit, voice both angry and concerned. The Priestess' torment had completely shattered the Darkness' image of self-worth. He'd gone from declaring himself the real Malik Ishtar to barely acknowledging his own right to exist. A year ago the tombrobber wouldn't have cared, but now it bit him to the core. "I WILL NOT leave without you. Is that clear?"_

_The other's amethyst eyes were no longer listless but stirred almost brightly. In his brokenness the spirit looked almost innocent. "Do you mean that?"_

_Bakura clutched feverishly at Marik's hand. Maybe the agony of his mental and physical wounds was getting to him. Maybe he was genuinely in love with the unusual Darkness. Either way, his response was the same._

_"I promise"  
_

* * *

Tears were actually rolling down Ryou's face. Taking in a gulp of air he called out to his yami with a sort of rattling gasp. Bakura, close to crying himself, rolled off of Malik and regarded his hikari with confusion. "What the Hell's your problem?"

"BAKURA!" Bursting into another fit of teaful sobs, the Brit launched himself at his darker half, burying his face in the other's bandaged chest.

_/Ryou, what's.../_

_/Oh my God! Bakura I'm so sorry/_

The others stood in uncomfortable silence as the boy cried his heart out into the Thief's arms. Yami could feel the heat of jealously rising in his gut as he watched. Why did Ryou have to be so pure-hearted? Just this once couldn't he learn to hate?

"Brother?"

Malik hadn't moved since Bakura had tackled him, but when Ishizu spoke he bolted to his feet. Chest heaving the blonde searched around til his gaze fell on his adopted brother. Leaning against the wall to maintain balance he made his way towards the older man. His face was a mixture of horror and resolution, compassion and disgust. In a voice so small it could barely be heard he spoke.

"Rishid have you seen my bag?"

* * *

-TOT

(I should have revised this. Its to OOC even for my taste, but I hadn't updated in a while so please don't be mad at my laziness! I'll try to be more careful.)


	7. 7 Lonely

**(A/N-**Sorry for such a lengthy update time. I had a mild case of writer's block. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. It's a bit missleading, but this is not the final chapter. I'm only about halfway done with this story 

**Chapter 7-Lonely**

* * *

"Okay, how the hell do we do this?" Malik clutched the Rod tightly as he spoke, each word feeling as if it were prying him apart a little bit more. He hadn't wanted to help his yami. In fact he still didn't, but that memory of Bakura's just wouldn't leave him alone. The Egyptian tried to think of other things, thoughts of sunrises, dueling, anything but the hollowness of Mariku's gaze which was no longer quite so empty. It didn't work. Malik's guilt had taken control. _'Bakura could have fabricated those images. I wouldn't put it past him._' But the look on the Thief King's face had been as truthful and sincere as the blonde had ever seen it. There was no lie behind those hellish eyes, no sign of wicked intentions or deceit.

"Come here." Bakura ignored everyone but Malik. This was his last chance. By some unfathomable twist of Fate the Egyptian had agreed, but the spirit knew that his resolution would quickly fade should anything go wrong. _'Hell, even I don't know exactly what I'm doing.'_

/_Just do what feels right_./ Ryou smiled reassuringly at his yami, unaware that he'd practically read his thoughts. He had faith in Bakura. For once the tombrobber was doing something worthwhile, and to the teen this meant he was already halfway there.

Bakura glanced briefly at his hikari before refocusing on Malik. The blonde had approached the bed by now, and was waiting haughtily.

"Are you going to get up, or can I stop wasting my time?"

With a feral growl the Thief forced his aching body off the mattress. He slipped the Ring over his head and concentrated his energy. The Item erupted with a burst of golden light. "Do the same."

Malik nodded and focused on the Rod. In moments it too was aflame with radiance. He jerked away sharply as Bakura grabbed him by the shoulders, but the Thief didn't let go. The Egyptian could hear his sister crying out to him, could feel everyone staring wide-eyed, but he could sense something else now. Darkness like that which could only be found in the most dismal corners of the Shadow Realm. Through this desolation ran a road, a road created by the joint power of the Sennen Items. The Rod had found it, and the Ring lit the way like a compass. Malik felt a burning sensation in his chest as he left the mortal world and stepped out onto this ribbon of Light.

"What are you waiting for?" Pushing past the dumbstruck hikari, Bakura began to follow the path. The road continued to materalize under his feet as he moved on. Malik followed quickly behind, unwilling to be left alone. An unearthly quiet overwelmed them as they walked. When one of them did speak from time to time it sounded unnatural, forced. Human speech was blasphemy in such Darkness, and, realizing this, they kept mostly silent.

Malik noticed that with each step he took the Rod's aura grew stronger. It was as if the Item had recognized it's former wielder, and judging by the intensity with which it shone, the blonde guessed they were getting very close.

Just a few paces ahead, Bakura stopped short. The Priestess' Hall had suddenly emerged from the Darkness. It wasn't an actual walkway so much as a labyrinth, shadow-flecked corridors and infinitely tall walls forming something that was almost a maze.

"That's it?" Malik approached the hallway before them with caution. It was strange, like something from a half-remembered dream. The stones were at once both solid and miasmatic, reminding him of dry iceand frozen smoke. "I've never seen anything like this."

"Then you should count yourself lucky. Let's go." Following the points of his Sennen Item the Thief plunged onward. Malik lingered for just a moment, taking in all the horror and majesty of his yami's prison, before he too disappeared into the mist.

It was cold, breathlessly, numbingly cold, so cold it seemed to leech the light from his very soul. The Egyptian felt the hairs on his neck prickle as a phantom breeze ghosted across his spine. He looked to Bakura, but the Thief seemed unaffected. He just stood there, waiting impatiently for Malik to get himself together. Finally the teen moved onward. Creepy as this place was he knew he had to keep going. It wasn't just about his pathetic guilty conscious. He felt that in some way leaving Marik in the Shadow Realm was like burying unfinished business. Until he either severed all ties with or completely wiped out his yami, the boy would never find true peace.

They followed the road through the mist for what seemed like hours. Only on occasion would the strip of lightturn and twist down another spectral corridor, the Ring's points tinkling softly as they changed postion. Presently they came across the first of the doors. Great, wooden structures, they stood out like sore thumbs against the surrounding walls. They seemed to stretch upwards forever, so high that no matter how far back he craned his neck, Malik couldn't glimpse the end of them.

"Where do those lead?"

Bakura scratched the uninjured side of his face and sneered. "It's how She moves through the walls. I figured it out not long after coming here. Some are just plain doors, but the ones with runes on them are enchanted to be accessible from only one side. If you walked through one of those doors and turned around, there'd be nothing but stone." The Thief turned his gaze back to the path the Sennen Items had put out, searching for any hint that it might veer off towards one of these doors. His body hurt like hell, but Bakura thanked Ra he still had strength enough to carry on. Modern medication was something the spirit was beginning to admire more with each passing day.

"Do you hear that?"

The Thief growled. He'd had about enough of Malik's bullshit. "There's nothing to hear. This is the fucking Shadow Realm!"

"No, I'm serious!" Grabbing his arm, the Egyptian forced Bakura to halt. "Just listen. It's like..."

"_SHHHH!_" Bakura could hear it now, something between panting and muffled sobs. It was nearly indetectable in the stillness of the Shadow Realm. Like the sillouette of a whisper the cries seemed to fade in and out. One minute the Thief could hear them fine, the next he was left searching the silence. _'Mariku..._' Bakura began to run, the light struggling to keep ahead as he plunged through the darkness. He ignored Malik's calls. All the spirit could hear was his own ragged breathing, but he knew he was getting closer. He just had to follow the path.

Trying to keep up with Bakura was like trying to outrun your shadow. Malik was sprinting full speed, and still the Thief was already out of his sight. He was only greatful that the Ring's walkway had remained. What he would have done if it had disappeared the boy didn't know. Preoccupied with his thoughts, Malik didn't see the door until he was about ten feet away. He skidded to a stop, coming up short with just inches to spare. Studying the structure carefully, he realized that this door was different from the others. It was made of iron, not wood, and several hieroglyphs had been etched where the doorknob should have been. _'This is it?' _The Sennen Rod flickered for a moment before dimming back down. Malik swallowed dryly. There was no going back. With an unsteady hand, he pressed his palm up against the ancient runes.

Moving through the door, the cold faded, and the Egyptian was confonted with a sudden blast of heat. It wasn't the pleasant kind either. It was dense and acrid, filling his nose and stinging his eyes. Malik was all too glad when he finally passed through the Priestess' portal. Looking around the blonde felt suddenly queasy. It was exactly like his dream, the torchlit hall. No longer shadowed, but appearing fully solid, the illuminated walls stretched on to the Ceremonial Chamber. Like before he could hear his yami screaming, and like before he had an incredible sense of foreboding. However this time Malik had a choice. It wasn't like his nightmare where he was forced to move on. If he wanted, the boy could go back. He could abandon the two spirits and follow the road of light back home. It would be easy, but still Malik moved forward. He didn't know why anymore, couldn't even comprehend the gravity of what he was doing. The funny thing was that he wasn't really scared any more. He knew how to do this. He just wasn't exactly sure why.

A particularly loud shriek caused Malik to pick up the pace. He ran at a dead sprint. That hadn't sounded like his yami. It had been Bakura. Whatever waited for him in the Chamber, it had already dealt with the Thief King. The Egyptian gasped in horror as he finally reached his destination.

Mariku was bound naked and in such a way that his legs actually straddled the roughly hewn carving stone. He wasn't shackled by the feet this time. Instead the Darkness had been propped upright, arms suspended above his head by rusted chains. The spirit hung like a piece of meat, not even having the strength to hold up his head. Malik also saw that every bit of Marik's body had been violated. Blood pooled between his thighs. Cuts and sores littered his sweat-drenched flesh. Even the yami's wrists had been horribly mangled by chains.

"Don't bother calling out to him. He's been unconscious for quite some time."

Whipping around Malik stared in horror at the familiar figure standing before him. The elder Ishtar loomed near the Tablet, smirking in satisfaction as he surveyed his handiwork. He noticed something at the elder Ishatar's feet and realized it was Bakura. The Thief cowered in the dirt, trying feebly to stem the flow of blood streaming from his face.

"F-Father?" Malik took a small step towards the man but stopped, unexplainably fearful.

"Come Malik. Do not let these unworthy souls phase you. You are my son. Your loyalty lies with me!" These last words were uttered with such forcefulness that the Egyptian fumbled backwards. Something wasn't right. His father's eyes were hidden by a hood, and the boy had a sudden, maddening urge to look into them.

"I...please tell me what's going on! I don't understand!"

The man smiled and moved towards his son. "All in good time, Malik. Before that we have things to take care of." A gentle hand fell upon the teen' shoulder, and he wanted ..._needed_... so desperately to believe this was his father. He wanted to be held and comforted like a child, to be soothed of all his pains. Malik's hate had destroyed the elder Ishtar, but not for an instant did this mean he didn't love his father. Slowly the Egyptian let himself be pulled into the other's arms.

"...Mal...ik...you idiot...stop..."

But he wasn't listening to Bakura. In fact Malik couldn't hear anything at all as he emersed himself in the long sought warmth of his father's embrace. The boy buried his face deeper into the man's robes, hoping to feel the pattering of his heart. Strange, he couldn't seem to find the heartbeat. There was only silence, smooth and dark and menacing. Perhaps he'd felt in the wrong place. Hand trembling slightly, Malik traced his fingers lightly across the elder Ishtar's chest. Nothing. With a confused grunt the teen pulled away. His hands and clothing were covered with blood.

"Wh-what is this?" Malik's eyes grew unimaginably wide as he stared at the crimson liquid clinging to his body. "Who...where did it come from?"

The man leapt forward with an enraged hiss, red eyes flashing. _'Red?' _He grabbed his son by the hair and dragged him towards the stone on which Mariku was bound. "This," he rasped, "Is how we punish those...who defy the Gods!" Malik screamed as he was lifted off the ground and thrown by the hair onto the carving stone. He flew into Marik, causing his yami to stir and the coroded chains to jangle. The blonde stared in horror at his other half. Up close the Darkness' injuries were even more evident. Mariku looked like a corpse.

The boy's red-eyed father continued to advance. He seemed to grow larger with his rage until he towered above much like the spectral Tablet. His voice could be described as nothing less than heinous. "I avenged_our_ family! Righted_your _mistakes! And still you have the audacity to question me? YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN THE MONSTER THAT YOU SPAWNED!"

"No!" Malik sobbed. And to think that he'd finally hoped of earning his father's forgiveness! To think that he'd even ventured to believe that maybe he'd finally redeemed himself! "Please, I'm sorry!"

"Filth! Unworthy vessal! How dare you beg pardon from me? If anything you should be pleading with the Gods to save your soul!"

The boy let out a grief-torn moan and wrenched his gaze from that of his father. He couldn't bare to look into those eyes any longer. Instead Malik found himself looking at Mariku. His yami had begun to groan, mouth twisted in a painful grimace. The hikari ignored the fast approaching shadow of his father and brushed a hand timidly across his other's cheek. This caused Marik's eyes to flutter slightly but nothing more. The Egyptian continued to stroke the Darkness' face, hoping that this could pull him from his weary sleep. Finally, Mariku's lids cracked open once more, and Malik found himself staring into a pair of twin amethyst orbs. For the instant that his darker half's mind remained logged with sleep, his eyes seemed almost soft, like iris petals or the sky just as twilight fades to black. Then, in a rush, everything that was Yami Malik returned. His hatred, his pain, and his madness all rolled in on the waves of memory until the hikari recognized those same cold eyes belonging to the monster he'd known at Battle City. Yet something was still different. Something dwelt in Mariku's gaze that wasn't there before.

"Are you finished?"

Malik whirled around just in time for the elder Ishtar's fist to connect with the side of his head. He fell heavily into his yami's chest. The Darkness in turn stared wide eyed at his light, oblivious to the creature who had dealt that blow. For the first time since Bakura left Mariku felt warm, the hikari's bodyheat causing his own icy flesh to tingle happily. Malik even smelled good. The boy's hair had a sort of fresh, breezy scent to it that made him sure he himself must reek something terrible.

"Did I say you were allowed to touch him?"

Marik bit back a whimper as a calloused hand dragged him backwards by the scruff of the neck. The shackles wound about his wrists rattled merrily at this sudden movement and dug deeper into his flesh, causing fresh blood dribbled from his wounds. The Darkness entertained the thought of begging but quickly discarded it a useless. The Priestess would never stop. Instead he allowed his head to drop and tried to ignore the sticky hotness, not near as pleasant as Malik's bodyheat, that had begun to run down his arms and into his face and hair.

"Get the hell away!" Bakura had finally managed to regain control of his limbs. Propelling himself forward, the Thief leapt at the man's back. The elder Ishtar was taken by suprise and reeled sideways, twisting and cursing as he tried to throw him off. Still the spirit held on. He tore feverishly at the monster's face and neck, ignoring the blood flying about from his reopened wounds. Malik watched, stupified as his father's face began to crumble. In its place appeared a void, a void so complete and dark that there was no doubt in the teen's mind that it was meant to resemble the lowest pit of hell. No, this was not his father. It was a demon from another world.

"DAMN YOU THIEF!" The elder Ishtar's voice had also faded, leaving behind something that would have been female if not for the horrid metalic wail that came with it. "PATHETIC BOY! I WILL DESTROY YOUR SOUL!" With a violent heave, the thing that was no longer his father managed to break Bakura's grip. The tombrobber cried out in agony as his body was dashed against the Pharaoh's Tablet.

"Malik!" The Thief's voice was harsh and desperate. "Grab him and get the_fuck_ out of here!"

The blonde just looked at his barely conscious yami dumbly and shook his head. "What do you want me to do? Magically untie him and drag him back to Ryou's house?"

"_IDIOT!_ Use the Rod!"

It was as if a gunshot had gone off in Malik's head. Slinging one arm over Mariku's shoulders, he once more focused his entire being on the Item's shadow powers. As before the Sennen Rod began to glow brightly. Just a few seconds longer and he'd be back in the world of light, safe and with people he loved.

But the Priestess had other plans. Once more She turned to Malik, and once more She wore the face of his long dead father.

"Wait! My son!"

The Egyptian felt his heart skitter out of control. There was no way this was an imposter. His voice, his wiry frame. This had to be his father. The Rod's aura began to flicker as Malik lost concentration and began to rise. How could he be so stupid? How could he trust a revenge-crazed Thief and complete psycopath over his own flesh and blood?

"F-f..."

"He isn't...that's not...his eyes...look at his eyes..."

They were red, horribly, brutally, scarringly red. Like blood, like rust, like everything vile and decaying. Every bit of Mariku's garbled words proved true. They were not the eyes of any mortal man. They were those of a creature who dwelt in the dark, who feasted upon the horrible memories of humanity. A manifestation of all the sorrow and pain and hatred that poured not only from the Shadows, but the physical realm as well. In a way She was like his own yami, born into Darkness, but unlike Marik this thing was a quagmire of the remains of many thousands of souls rather than only one. Whatever hope there might have been forher salvation had been laid to rest many years ago.

For a long minute Malik stared past the face of his father into the beast that lay beneath, then he shook his head sadly and in a flash of golden light was gone. There was no hope left. Still, before he left he could have sworn he heard the Priestess let out what might have been a despairing sob.

_'We fear that which we do not understand. We hate that which we can never become. These truths alone will make a monster out of any man.' _Suddenly everything in Malik's life seemed a little bit clearer.

* * *

-TOT 


	8. 8 Promises Resurface

**Chapter 8-Promises Resurface**

* * *

It had been over six hours, and still Bakura and Malik's vacant bodies remained unmoving. Ryou was beside himself with worry, and though they were a bit more reserved about it, so were Rishid and Ishizu. Everyone felt ill at ease. It was just so eerie, seeing people whose personalities they were so accustomed to lying immobile, eyes empty like death. The Brit perched himself near his yami and prayed with heartwrenching earnesty that they would be alright. He was just beginning to see past Bakura's makeshift exterior into his soul. It couldn't end now. It just couldn't!

"Do ya think we should go afta' dem?" Jou gave Yami a questioning glance.

"No," The Pharaoh shook his head. "The tombrobber knows his way around the Shadow Realm well enough by now. Besides, that place is huge. The chances that we'd be able to find this Priestess person's castle without some sort of guide are one in a million."

"So we're just going to sit around and wait?"

Yami lowered his eyes in apology. "I'm afraid that's all we can do, Ryou."

"Well I for one refuse to let my brother die trying to save the very thing that would have destroyed him!" Pushing past Anzu and Jounouchi, Ishizu strode towards her brother. Taking a hold of his clammy hands she bent down and murmured softly in his ear. "Malik. Malik please. Forget your guilt. Forget Mariku. Just please little brother! Come back!" As if by magic the blonde began to stir.

"Nghhh...Sister?"

Ishizu fell to her knees with relief, and Rishid let out an audible sigh as the teen sat up and slowly looked around. To everyone's amazement he cracked a shaky grin. "You guys look like you just saw a couple of ghosts." Uneasy laughter broke out over the group of friends for a moment, but it was quickly extinguished by Yugi's worried voice.

"But what about Bakura and your yami? What happened to them?"

"I can sense Mariku's presense coming from somewhere in this house, and as for me? Well I'm right here." The Thief tried desperately to glare at everyone as he rose from the bed, but his barely knit wounds had once more been torn asunder, and blood was quickly soaking through the bandages.

"Kura, lie down!" As gently as he could, Ryou forced Bakura back onto the mattress. He could already tell that Dr. Katsume would have to be notified imediately. "Anzu would you please..."

"Oh my God, it's him!" The dancer was pointing past the open door and into the hall, where something was staining the carpet a vivid crimson. Honda and Jou leapt imediately to their feet. Both looked as if they would like nothing better than to rip Mariku apart. Bakura in the meantime had doubled his efforts to escape his hikari's grasp, and Yami, for once unsure of what to do,stood shocked beyond words.

"Is he dead?" Yugi was the first to speak. With a slight frown he stepped towards the Darkness' limply sprawled body. Bakura hadn't been kidding when he'd said the Priestess was cruel. Mariku looked as if he'd been through a wheat thrasher, twice.

"Aibou, don't get any closer." Yami put a hand on the hikari's shoulder. "Mariku's not dead. He could still hurt someone."

"Don't be stupid." Breaking away from the rest of his family, Malik strode over towards his darker half. "He couldn't hurt a Ra-damned thing." As he approached, the sympathy he'd gained for his yami melted away, and once again the Egyptian's heart gave way to hate. He stood over Mariku for a moment, eyes narrowed with rage. Then with a feral cry Malik began kicking the Darkness, in his stomach, chest, legs, face, any available bit of skin. The violet-eyed boy continued to scream as he did this, screamed and cried a sea of sad and bitter tears. In the back of his mind he could hear Bakura's howls of protest, could see the wide-eyed expressions on his friends' faces, but Malik didn't care. He was sick of it. Sick of having to regret his past, of having to work every day to prove that he was a good person, that he was sane, and here lay this creature who went against all the teen had worked for in the past months. After trying so hard to separate himself from his mistakes, why should Malik have to face very thing that represented all of them?

"I hate you! I hate you! _I HATE YOU!_" Finally, too out of breath to continue, the blonde was forced to stop his physical assault. Instead he stood there, glaring down at his double as if daring him to move. Mariku stared back, body completely limp. He hadn't made a sound when Malik attacked him, hadn't even grimaced, but his eyes told a different story. They were filled with confusion, confusion and a detached sort of pain that made one believe he was so used to agony the Darkness no longer even cared from whence it came.

"Malik?"

The hikari whirled around, suprised to see Rishid standing right next to him. "What? What do you want?" It took everything he had to keep his voice under control as he spoke.

The man rested his hands on his master's shoulders and slowly drew him away. "Doing this won't solve anything," he murmured. "You can't take back what you did."

Even as he allowed himself to be led away, the younger Ishtar couldn'tstifle a bitter laugh. "No, Ra forbid I should ever be allowed to do that."

"Don't worry," everyone turned to Ryou, who still straddled Bakura's waist in order to keep him down. "Sometimes the things we regret most are the things that really needed to happen all along."

For a minute Malik stared wide-eyed at the Brit. Then, with a choked sob, he sank down against the wall and cried. Rishid lingered by his side for a moment, before, with his usual aura of calm, scooping the boy's Darkness into his arms and turning back to Ryou. "I'll go put him on the couch. Perhaps it would be best if you called Dr. Katsume now."

* * *

_'This is not happening...this is not happening...this is not...fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!'_ Malik sat at the dining room table of his sister's Domino apartment, trying uselessly to convince himself he hadn't done this, that at that very moment his yami wasn't lying upstairs in the spare bedroom too doped up on pain medication to even know where he was. Hell, the Darkness still thought he was in the Ra-damned Shadow Realm! All the long drive from Ryou's house Mariku had lay stretched out in the backseat, whimpering and spitting out Coptic curses while he slept. Now that Malik thought about it, that was probably the most excruciatingly painful car ride of his life! Then again they hadn't had any other options. Ryou's house held only one bedroom, and Dr. Katsume absolutely insisted that both Bakura and Marik be cared for in beds.

"I've done what I can. You can visit him if you like." Said physician came downstairs, already angular face looking more severe than usual. "Whatever trouble these friends of yours have gotten into, tell them its not worth it. Nothing's worth physical mutilation and rape."

Malik nodded dumbly. She must have thought the spirits' injuries were the results of some kind of gang initiation. Not that he was going to say anything to contradict her. If he tried to tell the truth the Egyptian had a sneaking suspicion that Dr. Katsume would have him committed to a sanitarium. _'Who knows, maybe the padded cell would be a relief.'_

"Anyway," the doctor continued, "I'm going to go back to that little European boy's house now to make sure that other kid hasn't done himself further damage. If you need anything just call. I left my card and Mariku's medication with your sister."

"Um...thanks." Malik watched as the woman flitted through the door, then clambered slowly to his feet. Without even glancing up towards the guest room he plodded over to the telephone and dialed Ryou's number. He let it ring ten or twelve times, not bothering to put down the receiver as he stared aimlessly out the window. However just as the blonde had finally decided to hang up, the Brit answered.

"Hello?"

"Ryou..." Malik came out of his daze with a tired sigh. "Hey."

"Oh, Malik! I was just thinking about you! How's everything going with your yami?"

The Egyptian bit his lip. "Fine...things are just fine."

"I'm glad. You really had us scared when you started freaking out on Mariku like that. I actually thought you were going to kill him there for a minu..." There was a sudden pause, and he could hear Ryou talking to Bakura in the background. "...Kura...I'm on the phone...with Malik... What? No you may no..." A few muffled protests followed, then the thud of someone being shoved to the floor.

The Egyptian furrowed his brow in confusion. "Ryou?"

"You fucking BASTARD!" Malik nearly jumped out of his skin as the Thief King screeched at him over the phone. "What the hell did you think you were doing? You better watch your back, Ishtar, because sooner or later I'll get you for this!"

The blonde growled dangerously. "Maybe you didn't realize this Bakura, but if it wasn't for me Mariku would still be rotting in the Shadow Realm where he belonged! I don't even know why you care! Did he let you fuck him or something?"

"...I will kill you..."

Menace oozed from every syllable, but Malik was too pissed off to bother with fear. Instead he let out a peel of derisive laughter. "Yeah, I bet that's exactly what happened. He spread his legs for you, and now you want him back so you can keep sticking your cock up his ass! What if I decided to send him back to the Shadows after all, hmm? What would you do? Probably go crawling in after him all over again!"

"Malik if I ever hear you talk like that again, I swear it won't be my yami who..."

Ryou must have finally wrestled the phone from the other's grasp, but before he could finish Malik slammed down the receiver with enough force to put cracks in it's plastic casing. With an unsteady sigh he sunk down onto the couch and let his head fall into his hands. He choked back the sobs that threatened to overwhelm him, rage collapsing into mere fustration. It had been the Brit'sanger more so than Bakura's that had finally shamed his hatred. Ryou never got angry without good reason, and Malik knew he had gone way over the line. "I didn't ask for this," he murmured softly.

"No, but its happened, and now you have to get your shit together and face it." Ishizu stood in the doorway, her gaze morecomanding than usual. He gave her an imploring glance, but the woman simply narrowed her eyes and pointed towards the stairs. "You can't run away from this, little brother. No matter how frightened you are, you can't run away."

* * *

Malik was taken aback by how quiet it was in the Darkness' room. For some reason he'd expected madness, torn carpet, bloodstained sheets, but Mariku appeared more serene than anyone had probably ever seen him. The curtains were drawn, causing the flourescent lights from the numerous medical devices surrounding him to make the spirit's face glow ever so slightly. He didn't look so bad now that the blood and filth had been cleaned from him. Still, Malik hesitated before entering the dimly lit room. Ishizu had been right. He was afraid.

_/Marik/ _It felt weird, using his mindlink for the first time. The Egyptian had always entertained the idea that one existed between them, but he'd never tried it. There hadn't been reason to before. _/Marik, can you hear me?_/ He sat down cautiously in the chair next to the bed and waited. At first he thought his yami was too deeply asleep, that the morphine had put him out completely, but then Mariku answered.

_/...hikari/_

Malik was surprised by the incredible note of weariness in his darker side's reply.

_/Yeah...I'm right here./ _The light reached out to touch his other half's cheek, but the boy unconsciously flinched away. Chewing nervously on his lip, Malik tried to think of something to say. _/Um...how...how are you feeling/_

There was no answer, but ever so slowly Mariku's eyes began to open. They shimmered strangely in the impersonal glow of the machines, their normally purplish sheen brightening to a more delicate shade of lilac. For the third time Malik found himself slipping, slipping away into eyes that were identicle his own yet at the same time completely foreign. He wondered briefly if those enigmatic orbs were more iris or pupil, for they seemed to have no clear definition at all. _'Maybe their just a mixture of both, like the mists of the Shadow Realm.'_

"You're going to send me back there, aren't you?" Talking hurt, and Mariku was forced to swallow hard before continuing. "Like last time..." Those same fathomless eyes grew cold, boring deep into the lighter boy. Then that look of hate melted away, and there was nothing but despair. "J-just one day! Please, it won't be like last time! I won't do anything wrong! One more day in this world, and then..." Mariku's words were cut off abruptly as a violent bought of coughing seized him. He bolted into a sitting position, body doubling over as fit after fit of wracking coughs shook his frame. With each breath the Darkness took blood sprayed forth, speckling the sheets with flecks of crimson.

A chill came over Malik as he listened to the yami's words. Was this really the same Mariku he had known during Battle City? _'One day. He's willing to settle for one fucking day!' _It was truly terrifying how hatred and pain, the very things from which Marik arose, could also be used to break him. That panic in his voice, his eyes...oh God it was horrible! He had to make it stop! "No," Malik whispered, terror leaking into his own words. "Don't worry. I promise, you can stay here as long as you want."

* * *

"I'm going to kill him! Don't you get it? _KILL HIM!_" Bakura shifted restlessly in bed, venting all his fustration on Ryou's smarting eardrums. He twisted about his quilted prison in anguish, loathing every instant he was forced to spend in bed. "The second I can get up again, I'll make that little cunt scream til his voice breaks!"

The Brit shook his head, exhausted. "You're never going to be able to get up if you don't settle down and get some rest. That rescue operation about killed you." After the Ishtars had left the tombrobber had passed out, waking only when the agony from his freshly bleeding wounds overcame the morphine.

Bakura growled and turned from his vessal, grimacing as his rebandaged lacerations stretched and curled. He knew Ryou was right. The kid may have been a weakling, but he was no idiot. It was obvious he'd been talking with Dr. Katsume. The Thief sighed. "I guess it doesn't matter really. Mariku has his own body now. Malik couldn't banish him even if he tried."

"Yes, that's true enough...Bakura, can I ask you something?"

"Huh? What is it?"

A faint blush crept over Ryou's cheeks. "Are you in love with Marik?" The boy refused to meet his yami's gaze, choosing instead to watch the trembling of his own hands. "I mean, its not like...like it matters that much. I was just wondering."

Bakura stared openly at his lighter half. True, he'd occasionally entertained the idea that perhaps the new feelings he felt for the blonde-haired Darkness ran deeper than mere companionship, but those had only been distant fantasies. However the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Bakura had gone to great lengths to save Mariku. He'd been willing to hold him in his arms when no one else would. Did that constitute as love? In the Thief's world it was close enough.

"You know, Ryou, I think I do."

"Oh...I was just wondering." Ryou left the room, hoping desperately Bakura hadn't heard the crippling disappointment in his voice.

* * *

-TOT (Hope you enjoyed!) 


	9. 9 Let Go

**A/N- **Thanks for being patient. This chapter took me forever. I tried to keep them in character this time, but there are places where I couldn't resist. 

**Chapter 9-Let Go**

* * *

"Promises mean nothing." With an exhausted sigh Mariku fell back amongst the blankets. For a long minute no one said a word. Malik merely watched as a million emotions ran across his yami's face. When the Darkness finally did speak again it was more to himself than anyone else. "I'm not cold. Its astonishing." This was whispered with such childish reverence that Malik couldn't help thinking of an awe-struck six-year old. 

For what seemed like the millionth time in the past few hours the Egyptian found himself being forced to look at Mariku from yet another angle. "Why is it so hard to believe?"

"Because..." The spirit's voice was sosmall Malik had to scoot even closer to hear. "...because the Priestess told me._Things_ like her ..._like me_... aren't supposed to escape, and She would know. She's been trying for a very long time."

"What do you mean? How long?"

Mariku gave as large a shrug as his protesting body would allow and looked away. "I don't know. As long as people have been able to hate, probably."

Malik felt his blood go cold. Without thinking he grabbed his yami's hand. "So She's like _you_?"

/_...yes_.../ The Darkness' eyes began to flicker shut as the need for sleep finally overwhelmed him. The last thing he saw before blacking out was a pair of toubled, violet eyes. The last thing he felt was the warmth of a smooth hand over his own. /_Yes, hikari, I know what I am, and I am no threat to you./ _There had been a time when he really believed he was the true Malik Ishtar, that though he had been born through pain he still had every right to claim the boy's body as his own, but Mariku no longer held stock in such fantasies. How could he control a body when he had no soul to fill it? _'That's why I was so unstable at Battle City,_' he thought to himself. _'A fragment of someone else is in no position to take on physical form.'_

Malik watched the darker blonde fall asleep, noting the sorrow that seemed to radiate from his mindlink. Why was Mariku suddenly being so open about his thoughts? _'It's because he has nothing left to lose... or maybe he just wishes he did.'_

* * *

"What's it made out of?" Bakura gave the casserole a cautious poke. 

"Peas, noodles, tuna, and cream."

Ryou hid another giggle as the spirit poked it again. "I thought you said there was meat in this?"

"There is. Tuna's a type of fish. You should know that by now, Kura." The Brit patted his own stomach encouragingly. "Come on. Its really good!"

With a dry sniff Bakura took a bite of the casserole. "Mmm...not bad yadounoshi. What are these crunchy things?"

"Bread crumbs."

"Bread?"

"Uh-huh." Ryou wondered briefly what Bakura would do if he knew how cute he looked at that moment, nose wrinkled in concentration as he tried to decipher the many flavors. "I used my sister's recipe."

The Thief looked up from his plate. "She cooked?"

"Yeah, all the time. Amane absolutely loved the kitchen."

"I see." Bakura stared blankly out the window, his food momentarily forgotten. Ryou saw that he was looking back, way back over aeons of of darkness and shifting sands. "My own sister...she also...," but the spirit's voice died off quickly, as if it had been a vivid thought and nothing more.

"She liked to cook too?" Just months ago Ryou would have never dreamed of asking Bakura such a personal question. He would have been beaten to within an inch of his life, but things were different now. Life was full of surprises.

The Thief nodded, his expression suddenly turning very hard. "One day I'll make him pay for their deaths! I swear to Ra I will!" He turned to Ryou, eyes blazing but still fixed on something very far away.

The Brit latched on to the other's arms, somehow hoping he could tear him from his vengeful thoughts. "No Kura! Please don't. You don't have to keep torturing yourself with guilt. It wasn't your fault, and it wasn't Yami's either! Why should he be punished for the sins of his father and uncle? Just let go..."

"As if you would understand!" Bakura shoved him away, and Ryou tumbled uselessly to the ground. Biting back the agony of his painfully wrenched torso, the tombrobber vented on the gentler boy. "Damnit, you're all the same! Why do I even bother? In the end you'll just leave me and go crawling back to the Pharaoh!"

"No! I'll never leave you!" With tears in his eyes Ryou gazed up at his darker half. "I don't care what they say! I don't care what you do! I'll always be here, Kura, ALWAYS!"

Bakura wracked his brain for a nasty retort, but it died instantly upon his lips. Was his hikari truly that devoted? "I'm touched, Ryou, but you should know something. I'll never let go." The Thief closed his eyes, unable to meet the Brit's anguished gaze. "I'm not like Malik. I don't forgive, and I don't forget. I'll keep fighting that Ra-damned Pharaoh until the day I die, and if you follow me... well then I'm afraid you'll end up dead as well."

"I don't..." Ryou stopped himself. He couldn't let the Thief know how he felt. Bakura loved Mariku, and nothing the boy said would change that. "I'm going for a walk. Be back in an hour." As he left, Ryou could have sworn he heard his yami begin to protest, but he didn't care. _'I have to get away. Just for a little while.'_ Slipping on his coat, the Brit walked out the door and into the bitter cold evening.

The teen wandered the streets aimlessly, allowing his feet rather than his mind to guide him. He just didn't get his darker half. Bakura was evil, devoted, brave, and psychotic all at once. "How did I fall for someone like that?" the boy murmured to no one in particular. "And how did I manage to lose him to someone like Mariku?" With a tired sigh, Ryou finally stopped walking and glanced up.

'DOMINO ARCADE'

The words were huge and eyecatching, each letter painted an brilliant acidic green. Having nowhere else to go the Brit shuffled up the steps and inside. The place was mostly deserted, the lack of people making it's brightly lit games seem over the top and at the same time kind of lonely. In fact there was only one other occupant in the entire arcade.

"Yugi?"

The shorter boy looked up from the pinball machine he'd been halfheartedly fiddling with and cried out in surprise. "Oh Ryou! How are you?"

The Brit offered a weak smile. "I've been better. How about yourself?"

"I can't really complain I guess." Yugi studied the other boy thoroughly. "Um... what's wrong?"

The Brit sighed and slumped down onto the stool next to his spiky-haired friend. "Nothing really...its just that Bakura...well he's getting better and all, but he..." The sob Ryou'd been holding back for hours suddenly spilt forth, and he cried against the other's chest. "...he just...hates...s-so much...and his eyes...they were horrible! Yugi...its like he wasn't even looking at me...like he was staring into the past...into something worse! I had to leave! If I hadn't I think his eyes would have driven me insane!"

Wrapping his arms around the taller teen's quivering shoulders, Yugi tried to find something to say. "It's okay Ryou, really it is. Bakura's anger wasn't directed towards you. You said so yourself."

"Yes, I-I know that. That hatred wasn't for me." The Brit drew a shaky breathe. "It was for your yami." Despite Yugi's frightened flinch, Ryou forced himself to continue. "After Memory World I thought he was over it. I thought he'd finally put the past behind him and learned to love the new life he'd been given, but even now Bakura can't find it in his heart to forgive Atemu. What am I supposed to do, Yugi? How do I make him understand that hurting others won't make anything right?"

The shorter boy was taken aback by the desperation in his friend's voice. Ryou really did want to save the Thief King. "I don't know what to tell you. I mean, how far would you go to save him?"

Grasping Yugi's hand tightly, the white-haired teen looked deeply into the other's eyes. "As far as I had to! I love him. I love him so much it makes me sick to think that by acting this way he's only bringing more pain upon himself! Whatam I supposed to do?"

A distressed look flashed across Yugi's face when the Brit said this, but he quickly covered it up."I guess you'll just have to be there for him. Remind him that there will always be good and beauty in this world, that he's only alone if he chooses to be. That's really all you can do. In the end only Bakura can decide to forget his hatred and accept a life without revenge."

Ryou stared in awe at the star-haired teen. And all along he'd thought Yami was the wise one. "I...I don't know if I can do this. I mean, this is _Bakura_ we're talking about. He needs someone strong. I'm not like that."

"No," Yugi shook his head. "The tombrobber doesn't need someone strong. He needs someone who will follow their heart. That person is you, Ryou. He needs you to remind him that he's human."

* * *

The young Mutou's words rolled back and forth in his brain as Ryou trudged back to his house. He had to save Bakura. If he failed at everything else in his life, the Brit would at least have this one condolence. He would follow the Thief no matter what, and he would never let him fall. Yugi had said so himself. He was the only one who could. _'No, that's not true.'_ The thought hit so hard Ryou almost stumbled. _'Mariku's the one who reminds him that he's human, not me.'_ Mariku who was less human and presumably more insane than Bakura himself was the one thing that could bring the spirit out of his cold facade. _'I wish that was me,' _ the boy thought, a flare of jealousy welling up inside him. _'I wish I could be the one he held when no one else was looking. I wish I was the one he thought of every time he needed to forget his pain.'_ But no. That could never be. Ryou loved Bakura, truly he did, but it didn't matter. 

The Thief loved Mariku.

But this didn't mean the Brit couldn't try to make his yami's life as comfortable as possible. Yugi's advice still proved valuable. Ryou would do everything in his power to make sure Bakura realized what a beautiful gift his new life was. Of course it would mean swallowing his pride first.

_/Hey Kura/_

There was a long silence, one that seemed to last for endless eternities, and then... _/What do you want/_

_/Nothing...I'm coming home./_

More silence. _/...and.../_

Ryou smiled sadly at the icy puddles beneath his feet. _/...and I was wondering if you would like to go see Malik's yami sometime./_

_/When_/ This time the tombrobber spoke not with hestitation, but with a sudden, feverish excitment.

_/Whenever Dr. Katsume says you're fit to travel I suppose. So would you like to do that/_

_/...yes...hikari/_

Ryou had just walked in the front door, but he spoke through the mindlink anyway. /_Hmm/_

_/She would have loved your sister's casserole./_

* * *

"I don't know what he sees in him. Honestly! That two-bit bandit's done more to harm him than anyone!"

Yugi pretended to be extra interested in the dishes he was washing as Atemu ranted on about Bakura. He was afraid the Pharaoh would see the secret hidden in his eyes. He couldn't repeat what Ryou had said. It would break his yami's heart, and enough hearts had been broken already.

"I mean, what has Bakura ever done to deserve such good treatment? Stole from innocent people! Killed them too!"

"I don't know." Yugi offered his dark a sympathetic smile. "Life's no very fair I guess."

Yami went over to the counter and began drying plates. "No, it most certainly isn't. Some people can work as hard as they want, be the best they can be, and still its always the undeserving bastard who gets the gold." The taller boy clutched the dishcloth tightly in his hand. His voice was so full of emotion that Yugi couldn't help but stop what he was doing and stare. "I shouldn't complain. Really I shouldn't... but I'm just so tired of being alone" The Pharaoh went back to drying the dishes, his mind so full of lonely thoughts he missed the injured look that fluttered across his aibou's face.

"Isee what you mean. No one should have to be alone."

* * *

-TOT (There you go. I don't really like this chapter. Its kind of boring, but the main reason for it was to set the stage for what is to come. Please R&R. I love comments.) 


	10. 10 Anger

**Chapter 10-Anger**

* * *

"Do you need help sitting up?" Dr. Katsume set her bandages aside and watched carefully as the tan boy forced his body into an upright position.

"No." Mariku shuddered when the pain blasted his lower regions. He cocked his neck to the side, trying to alleviate the aches that also pounded in his head and shoulders. It had been over a week since his escape from the Shadow Realm, a week of nightmares and unending exhaustion. Still, he wouldn't have traded it for the world. The blonde was clean now, free of dirt and cum and the constant stickiness of spilt blood. He was warm and resting and could see the sun whenever he wanted just by looking out the window. Of course Mariku did spend most of the day sleeping. He could never close his eyes at night but remained alert, watching and fearing that the Priestess would emerge from the darkness to reclaim him. However when morning finally came and the sun once more began to rise, the spirit's hell would dissapate, and he would watch in weary fascination as fragments of Ra's divine flame poured in through the window, leaving rivers of warm and golden light to burn across his bedsheets.

"Ishizu would you come in here please?"

"Of course." Heeding the doctor's call, said femle slipped quietly into the room. In truth she'd been lurking in the doorway, knowing her brother's yami probably wouldn't be able to hold himself up long enough for the woman to examine and rebandage his injuries. Neither Malik nor Rishid were home at the moment and though she secretly was wary of the task, Ishizu felt it was her duty to help her brother's other half. Despite the Darkness' growl of protest Ishizu slid her arm gently around his shoulders, being careful not to brush against any of the broken ribs as she kept him from falling back onto the mattress.

"Arigatu." With a slight nod Dr. Katsume began to cut away the gauze covering Mariku's body. She flinched as the Initiation scars were revealed, wondering briefly where they had come from. But that wasn't her job. Those wounds were long healed, and it was the new ones that the physician must now occupy her mind with. "Are you feeling alright Mariku?"

"Yes." It was a lie. He wasn't feeling alright. Marik didn't remember what had happened the first day when his body had been cared for. He'd been delirious, but now that he was in his right mind being touched made the Darkness shiver. He felt like their eyes were boring into his skin, like his body was once more about to be violated. The spirit closed his eyes as the bandages fell away but opened them again as his hikari's sister gave a quiet hiss.

"What is it?"

Ishizu didn't answer. Instead she stared wide-eyed at the cuts and lacerations littering the yami's chest. Cleaned and dressed though they were, Mariku still looked awful. And to think this was just his upper body. What it must look like between the Darkness' legs made the Egyptian woman cringe.

"Hmm... well you look better than you did on the first day. That's for sure. Still, you'll probably be held up in bed for another few weeks." Dr. Katsume tapped Mariku's chest lightly. "You should count yourself lucky. I've seen kids die from injuries as bad as yours." Carefully she began to wash his cuts, using a mixture of hot water and disinfectant. The slight sting did register in the spirit's mind, but the sensation of the warm cloth felt good against his flesh. Slowly Mariku began to relax, his body growing a bit heavier in Ishizu's arms.

The woman in turn watched with unconscious fascination as the Darkness' eyes drifted shut, his face softening until it seemed almost tranquil. He didn't even fidget when the doctor rewrapped his wounds. "Is he asleep?"

Katsume smiled gently at the blonde as her hands dipped lower to remove more of the old dressings. "You know I think he might b..."

Without warning Mariku's body went board stiff. He scrambled away from the angular woman, sparks of terror spitting from his eyes. "N-no!" Wrenching himself from Ishizu's grasp the spirit tried to crawl off the bed but lost his balance and fell. With a tormented cry he rose from the floor and stumbled several feet before collapsing just short of the doorway.

"Marik!" Leaping to her feet, the blue-eyed woman tackled Mariku before the Darkness could do himself any more damage. "Stop this!" The boy shook his head, a few unintelligable Egyptian phrases whistling past his lips. He tried to pull away, but she refused to let him up. "Just calm down." Ishizu ran a hand gently through the other's hair, hoping it might sooth him. Gradually Mariku's mumblings died to nothing, and his struggles ceased. However he continued to stare fixedly at her, eyes brimming with fear.

"Sister?"

A quiet shudder wracked Ishizu's slender frame. _'That...that thing...it called me...'_ No, that wasn't right. Looking into the Darkness' eyes she suddenly realized just how human Marik was. It wasn't merely that he had called her sister. It was that when he did so it felt natural, as if he really were her brother.

"Y-yes?"

The spirit's painfully tense body went imediately limp. He sighed softly, both in extreme exhaustion and pain. "Perhaps I am overreacting." This was said in a humorless, deadpan voice, but something about Mariku's words caused Ishizu to smile.

"I should think so." As carefully as she could the woman helped the Darkness into a sitting position. Dr. Katsume hung back, not wanting to startle the already unsound Egyptian. She watched as with great care Ishizu got the spirit to his feet and led him back towards the bed. Once Mariku was situated beneath the blankets, the blonde physician took out a syringe and filled it with something from her bag. She felt slightly guilty about this, but it was the only way to check the injuries on his lower body.

"Mariku, I'm going to give you a shot of morphine. You will wake up in about five hours with absolutely no recollection of what happened. Do you understand?"

The Darkness shook his head, but in fact he understood all too well. That bitch was going to knock him out so he'd be good while she poked and prodded him like some kind of...

Dr. Katsume was quick with the needle. She inserted into his arm and within seconds had injected the vial's contents.

"What the...bitch!" Mariku struggled to rise, rage cloaking his eyes in a violent shade of indigo. Katsume stumbled backwards, surprised by how angry the formerly apathetic teen had become.

"Get back!" The woman found herself being shoved backwards by Malik. The teen had walked into the living room just in time to hear his darker half's cry of outrage, and he hadn't wasted a single second. Within moments he was up the stairs and through the door to the guest bedroom. Placing himself in front of the two women, Malik gave the spirit a disgusted glare. "What the _fuck _are you doing?"

Mariku's anger evaporated under his hikari's accusing gaze. Why was he so pissed off? "I..." The Darkness swallowed hard. He wanted to answer, but the morphine's effects were already beginning to take their toll. His vision was becoming all fuzzy. It was like he couldn't even think straight anymore. The spirit swayed dangerously in the bed and, with several more stutters and broken sentences, collapsed into the pillows.

"What did he do?" Malik grabbed his sister's hands and held them to his chest. "I should have never left you alone with him! That bastard! Did he hurt you?"

"N-no." Ishizu shook her head. "He didn't. It was an accident really..."

"I'm afraid this little episode was my fault." Dr. Katsume walked over to the siblings, chewing her lip in agitation. "I surprised him with a shot of morphine so I could finish examining him. Unstable as your friend is I should have known..."

"That's no reason for him to attack you like that! Gods, I thought he was over this shit!"

Ishizu flinched at the bitterness stewing in her brother's voice. "Dr. Katsume is right, Malik. Mariku couldn't help himself."

"The _FUCK_ he couldn't!" There was no calming the distraught Egyptian. Just as he had begun trusting his yami, just as he had started to believe there might be more to him than hate and demensia, the bastard went back to something like this! The look in Mariku's eyes as he lunged at that woman... it was as if he'd been transported back in time to Battle City. Malik suddenly felt very tired. "What was I thinking? Monsters like him can't change even if they want to." The blonde teen left the room, being careful not to look back as he strode down the stairs and out the front door. He didn't want to think of his sister's bewildered face, of Mariku's eyes, eyes that were both alive and dead, angry and sorrowful, beautiful and entirely too human.

And so it was that Malik Ishtar missed the grimace that passed over Mariku's sleeping form, for even in sleep the Darkness sensed his lighter half's anger, and even in sleep did he feel an enigmatic sadness grip his heart.

* * *

"Are we almost there?"

"Yes Bakura. I already said that."

"Then why haven't we stopped?"

"There's still two more blocks to go."

"But I thought you said we were almost there."

"We _are_." Ryou's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. Since when was his yami so obnoxious? In the twenty minutes since they'd left the house Bakura had asked what seemed like a million questions. He'd sat next to him in the front seat of the Brit's ramshackle car, anxiously drumming his fingers against the dash and saying more than he probably had in over 5000 years. _'Oh well. At least he's cheerful for once.'_ That was true. In the week since he'd been promised a visit to Mariku's, the Thief King had behaved terrifyingly well. It got to the point where Ryou had to wonder if this really was the spirit of the Ring and not some weird imposter. He'd even allowed the doctor to do her job, taking all the medication and letting himself to be submitted to all kinds of pokes and proddings. Because of this, Bakura was healing fast. Though his face and chest were still heavily bandaged, for the most part the spirit could get around on his own. He still needed help with things like stairs and getting in the car, but other than that...

"Is that it?"

Ryou slammed on the brakes, skidding to a halt just in time to turn into the parking lot of the Ishtars' Domino apartment. "Yeah, we're here."

As he followed his hikari inside and down the hall to the Egyptians' Japan residence, Bakura couldn't help wondering if Mariku's health had improved. When Ryou called, Ishizu had said he was sleeping. She had sounded kind of worn, as if things weren't going as well as they might have.

"Ryou! Bakura! I didn't expect you to come so soon. My brother's yami is still sleeping, but you may go up and see him if you'd like."

Ignoring Ishizu, the spirit brushed past and limped as quickly as he could towards the stairs. Ryou was about to protest but stopped, realizing that with the mood Bakura was in steps wouldn't be a problem. The tombrobber hobbled along, following the aura of Mariku's shadow powers.

"Well he certainly seems to be healing up nicely."

The Brit nodded and offered Ishizu a heartfelt grin. "Yeah, Kura's pretty resilliant like that."

The blue-eyed woman smiled sadly. "I can see that. Perhaps Marik would be too if he could just learn to accept our help."

Ryou felt his own smile suddenly begin to fade. "What do you mean? He isn't acting like he did at Battle City, is he?"

"Well no, not really." The woman hesitated, trying to figure out how best to continue. "He's just so...nervous, and when Mariku starts acting up it puts Malik on edge. Like today, I don't know what came over him. My brother I mean. He was so...angry."

"Maybe he's still feeling uncertain about his yami being back. I mean, they were never really on good terms to begin with."

Ishizu nodded. "I thought of that. Its as if he's afraid once Marik's well he'll revert back to his old self, but I just can't see that happening. His wounds... they're so horrible." The woman swayed, and for a moment she looked slightly ill. "No matter how insane he is, I can't see anyone going back to how they used to be after enduring that kind of trauma."

"I get that." Ryou swallowed hard, remembering when he himself was in a similar position. "Even someone like Mariku wouldn't be the same after enduring that kind of agony."

"I only wish Malik would understand that." Gently the woman put her arm around Ryou's shoulder. She hadn't meant to make the white-haired boy upset. "Do you think that you could talk to him, Ryou? Help my brother understand what Marik's going through?"

"I don't know. Our situations are just so different. I mean even after the whole...thing...with Bakura, I never could bring myself to hate him as Malik did Mariku." Ryou stared at the floor, too ashamed to meet Ishizu's heartbroken gaze. He was lying. He knew he was lying. The Brit was just trying to avoid talking to Malik because he didn't want to face his own demons. "I'm really sorry."

"No, its fine." The female Ishtar looked sadly out the window. "He'll have to come to terms with it on his own I suppose. Anyway, Ryou, I think I might take a little walk. Would you mind staying here to watch Marik and Bakura?"

The Brit chuckled and plopped down on the porch swing near their front door. "No problem. You just take a little stroll, and I'll make sure they don't destroy the house or something."

With a brief smile of her own Ishizu left, hoping that a walk around the park would help clear her mind. Somehow she didn't think it would. Somehow she knew the hatred in her brother's voice and the bruised and bloodied flesh between Marik's thighs wouldn't wash from her mind for a very long time.

* * *

"Mariku?" Bakura didn't try to touch the sleeping boy. Instead he sat in the chair near his bed, watching intently as Marik fidgeted, lost in a turmoil of bedsheets and shadowed dreams. The Thief snarled softly to himself. The Darkness looked much better than he had on the first day, but not near as healthy as he should. Wasn't that doctor taking care of Marik as well as she was Bakura? _'If he doesn't get well soon I'll make sure that bitch gets a one way ticket to the Shadow Realm!'_ With this cruel thought to comfort him, the spirit settled back in his chair and continued to study the bedridden yami. He sat there for what seemed like ages, carefully noting every hitched breath and unconscious shudder.

"...nnggg...don't...hikari please...so-sor..."

Bakura sat up a little straighter as Mariku began mumbling in his sleep. Shifting restlessly in the bed, he continued to speak.

"...please...be good...I'll be good now...Malik..."

Scrambling to his feet, the Thief grasped the Darkness' hand between his own, but Mariku only moaned and wrenched away.

"...don't send me back..."

This was followed by a quiet sob. Then, quite suddenly, the Darkness opened his eyes.

"Bakura?" Mariku blinked and sat up, his dreams forgotten. The tombrobber looked ready to kill. "Bakura, what's going on?"

"That _BASTARD_! What did he say? Where the _FUCK_ is he?"

"Bakura I don't..."

Without thinking the spirit raised his hand and slapped Marik hard across the face. _"TELL ME!"_

For a minute the younger yami didn't speak. He was too shocked. Then, hand trembling, he reached up to touch his stinging cheek.

"Bakura..."

* * *

**-TOT** (I think this is the longest chapter I've written so far! I hope you liked it. I'm trying to get the plot moving a bit faster without rushing. Also I'm trying for more consistant updates. I have a nasty habit of going from a chapter a week to one every month and back again. It's something I need to work on.) 


	11. 11 Make You Love Me

**Chapter 11- Make You Love Me**

* * *

"Bakura..."

The tone of Mariku's voice made the Thief's stomach clench. There was no sadness, no hate, only pure, unhindered astonishment. He would have rather had the Darkness scream, attack, mutilate him past the point of recognition, but instead the blonde just stared at him, wide-eyed and silent.

"Oh _shit_! I don't know what the fuck is wrong with me! I didn't mean to. I didn't..."

"Leave. Don't talk. Just get out." Snapping out of his daze, Mariku rubbed his cheek and glared viciously at the other yami.

"N-nani?" Bakura tried to grasp the Darkness' hand, but it was quickly pull away. "What's your problem? I apologized didn't I?"

"GET THE FUCK OUT!"

It was the Thief's turn to be shocked beyond words. Not only did Mariku sound insane, but the strange glint in his eyes was particularly unnerving. The only thing that could have made him look any more psychotic would have been the sudden appearance of varicose veins on his face. "Come on, Marik! I didn't mean to get worked up like that! Just tell me what Malik did to you."

"Nothing! He didn't do a Ra-damned thing!" With an angry grunt the Darkness dragged himself across the bed, clambering out on the side opposite Bakura. "I'm going to tell you one more time to leave. Then I'm going to force you."

"Force me?" The white-haired spirit laughed, though there was no humor in his voice. "And how do you plan to do that, Mariku Ishtar? Last time I checked you couldn't even walk!"

"Bastard..." Slowly the blonde made his way around to where Bakura now stood. He pulled his hand into a fist, and before he knew it the Thief was on the floor, searing agony ripping through the injured half of his face. Marik advanced. His face was painted with a devilish smirk. It was not, however, the same sadistic smile he had worn during Battle Ship. There was anger behind it, not madness, anger, true, bitter anger born of hurt. Beneath this smile churned all the pain and anguish caused by a life without joy, a life where everything was bleak and terribly dark. Bakura realized this and backed away. He knew that grin all too well. It was the grin of the frail child alone in the desert, of the child who had lost everything he loved and whose soul had become tainted like so much shadowed gold.  
"Marik please..." The Thief King's voice cameacross startlingly soft. He struggled to his feet and gazed into the other's eyes. "Please, I..." Bakura growled inwardly. Damn it! He couldn't even finish a sentence! _'I will not be this weak!' _Biting his lip in resolution, he made his way towards the blonde. "I don't want to fight, Mariku, not with you."

"Then what do you want?" That horrible smile had faded, but Mariku's body remained stiff and cold.

Bakura took a deep breath. He remembered the first time he'd held the Darkness in his arms, how it had been as if he were about to take a plunge, falling into an abyss from which there was no escaping. He felt the same now as he had then, terrified and at the same time strangely excited. "What do I want? Its simple. I want you, Marik. You are all I desire."

The blonde's eyes grew wide with surprise. A part of him had known Bakura felt this way, but he'd never expected... _'Don't. Oh Ra, please don't.'_

"I love you." The Thief King said this as if the words themselves signified the end of the matter. To him this confession was the last obstacle separating him from Mariku. He had found it in himself to open his heart, and now Bakura would be rewarded. However the look on the younger's face spoke differently. Frown tuggingat his lips, the ashen-haired spirit lightly caressed Marik's freshly bruised cheek. "Don't you get it? I...I love you!"

"I'm sorry." He could have sworn he heard the Thief's heart breaking. It was horrible. The Darkness had never hated himself as he did at that moment, had never thought his tattered soul had that much capacity for guilt. Still, the blonde forced himself to look into the other yami's unbelieving eyes.

"You're...what?"

"I'm sorry. Bakura, I just...can't." The hurt and comprehension that suddenly lit up in the tombrobber's eyes finally forced Mariku to look away.

"You can't? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Bakura tore at his hair in fustration. Didn't the Darkness get it? Didn't he understand? "I FUCKING LOVE YOU!"

The raw emotion in the Thief King's words caused Mariku to stumble backwards. Tripping over his own feet, the blonde fell onto the bed behind him with a startled cry. Before he could get up Bakura was pinning him down.

"What are you saying, tombkeeper? After all I did for you, do you mean to tell me that you don't love me?"

"Its not like that." Mariku winced as the other spirit's knees dug painfully into his chest.

Bakura's mood was fast deteriorating. With each passing moment he became more dangerous. "Then why do you insist on rejecting me?" His voice was harsh, clipped.

"I do love you...I _do_, but not like that. Its hard to explain..."

"BITCH!" Mariku turned his head in disgust as saliva sprayed from the Thief King's mouth. "You STUPID, TWO-TIMING SLUT! Have you forgotten who saved you from the Priestess? Have you forgotten who forgave you of your crimes?"

"No." The blonde shook his head wearily. "I have not forgotten, Bakura, and I never will."

"Then why do you deny me what by all right's should be mine?"

"Yours?" With a feral snarl, Mariku began to struggle until the other spirit was forced to pin him down by the wrists as well. "Yours! Well then I suppose that means I'm Malik's too doesn't it? He took pity on me! He put aside my past! Oh, and Rishid and Ishizu and the fucking Pharaoh for Ra's sake! I guess I belong to them too! I mean if they had the _kindness of heart _to let me stay in this world then I _must _bow down and be their slave!"

Bakura flinched. "N-no...that's not what I..."

"Cut the bullshit! If all I am to you is another easy lay then you might as well tell me! I'm tired of your games, Bakura!"

The Thief King's eyes, whose fires had been temporarily quelled, flared up once again. "You think I'm messing with you?" He drove his knee sharply into the other's crotch. "I FUCKING LOVE YOU!"

Mariku screamed as a burst of agony assaulted his lower regions. The pain glanced quickly across his manhood, burning upwards to pool below his naval.

Bakura continued to put pressure on the Darkness' groin. "Well, are you just going to sit there or what? Come on Marik! Tell me! Say that you love me!"

"I...I don't..." Mariku's head was spinning, his body beginning to give into exhaustion once more. He tried to focus on Bakura, but his vision was blurred, causing the Thief's angry face to flicker strangely. However his words came across clear as crystal.

"Tell me! Tell me, or so help me God I will _MAKE_ you love me!"

Marik's chest clenched. Of it's own free will his body began to tremble. No. Bakura had not said that. Bakura would never say that, not to him, to someone else perhaps but not to him. Then why were the Thief King's hands forcing their way under his shirt? Why was his knee still digging painfully into his crotch? The Darkness' eyes grew unbearably wide, his pupils contracting into shivery little specks. "Stop this! Touzoukou..."

Hearing his real name, the tombrobber paused to estimate just how terrified the younger yami was. He smirked and lowered himself so their lips were just centimeters apart. The words came in a throaty whisper. "Tell me or I'll send you back to Her like the piece of trash you are."

I'll _KILL_ you. _I'LL KILL YOU!" _With strength that was almost unhuman Mariku shoved the other spirit onto the floor. Bakura gasped as a sharp kick to the stomach caused him double over in pain. He stared up at Mariku through his unbandaged eye, marvelling at the sudden change of power. The Darkness didn't even give him time to blink. Within seconds Marik had the Thief pinned up against the wall. He gripped Bakura's collar tightly, muttering the same words over and over like a mantra. "I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you..."

* * *

After an hour of wandering aimlessly through the streets of Domino City, Malik was finally forced to turn back. It was freezing, and, being from Egypt, he wasn't very used to the cold. To be perfectly honest he also felt rather bad for how he'd treated his yami earlier that day. Mariku couldn't help being who he was, though it seemed he was trying to. _'In a way I am to blame. I mean, if I could have just learned to control my anger...'_ But then if Malik had learned to control his anger he never would have escaped the Pharaoh's Tomb. He never would have seen the sun or ridden a motorcycle or experienced anything at all like a normal person. Did this mean he should be thanking his darker half? True, Mariku had killed his father, but in a way he had also saved his soul. "Damnit." Malik clutched his aching head in fustration. It was too much. It was just too much.

As he neared the apartment complex, the Egyptian was astonished to see one of his fellow hikaris perched delicately on the porch swing.

"Ryou?"

"Hey." Seeing the blonde caused a sudden and very unpleasant falling sensation to take hold in the Brit's stomach. It seemed fate just wouldn't allow Ryou to ignore his phantoms any longer. "Your sister went out for a bit." He managed a smile that was almost convincing. "I'm sticking around to make sure Kura and Mariku don't decimate the place."

"Yeah, I wouldn't trust those two alone together. Who knows what kind of trouble they would stir up?" Malik's grin was equally as painful. He thought of the phone conversation they'd had earlier that week. Ryou wasn't acting as if he were still mad about that, but he certainly wasn't acting normal either.

"Would you like to sit down?"

"Sure."

The Brit scooted sideways, allowing Malik to plop down next to him. They sat in awkward silence, but the questions on their minds seemed to fill the air with noise. Ryou was the first to speak.

"Ishizu told me about your yami. I'm sorry he's not doing well."

"Yeah," Malik muttered. "Its...its his own damn fault! After all the pain he went through I thought he had really changed! I thought that there might be some good in him after all, that maybe I wouldn't be alone anymore." The teen glared down at his clenched fists. "I should have known."

Ryou frowned. "Known what?"

"Marik won't change. He couldn't even if he tried. He could be subjected to torture a thousand times over and still remain the same cold, soulless bastard he's always been! Probably thinks its funny how worried we've become, that stupid, sadistic..."

"Shut _up_!" Malik cried out in surprise as Ryou's palm connected with the side of his face. "I can't believe you think Mariku could_ever _be the same after enduring that kind of agony! He was raped Malik! Not just beaten or stepped on, _RAPED! _I don't care how evil you think he is! No one could possibly walk away from that without some kind of mental scarring!" Oh shit. Now he was crying.

"Listen Ryou. I'm sorry about what happened to you, I really am, but you don't understand. Marik's not like you."

Shaking his head, the Brit allowed the tears to run in tiny rivulets down his cheeks. "No, its you who doesn't understand! What the Priestess did to him, what Bakura did to me...it stains people. It doesn't matter, good or evil, sane or otherwise, everyone is tainted."

"But Marik..."

"Marik too."

Ryou's voice was forceful, much stronger than one would have expected. Malik couldn't help believing the conviction behind it. Suddenly he was sobbing, sobbing and sobbing like a broken faucet. He buried his head firmly in the other's chest. "Oh God! What did I do? Ryou? Ryou! His voice...so desperate...like he wanted to die...and my father...it wasn't really him...she gave him that shot so she could check the damage...because he wouldn't let anyone even close to getting between his legs...not after...not after..."

Ryou rubbed the blonde's back gently. He didn't comprehend half of what the Egyptain was saying, but perhaps Malik needed this. "Its okay. Shh... Its okay."

"...its my fault...should have saved him sooner...should have stood by him once I did...but I was afraid...his eyes...every time...like I'm falling into them...I can't look away...I-I don't want to..."

Still patting his shoulders, Ryou tried to reason with the distressed boy. "Its not your fault. Its not your fault Mariku was created from hatred or that he suffered so greatly because of it, but it_is _your responsibility to help him. He needs you, Malik. He..."

_"I'LL KILL YOU!"_

Marik's snarl was so loud that even from the front porch it was easily distinguishable. Later Malik would come to realize it hadn't been the anger in the Darkness' voice that scared him. It was the panic. With identicle cries of alarm, both lights sprinted inside and up the stairs.

"Bakura what's goi..."

"Are you guys alri..."

Both Malik and Ryou's voices died to nothing as they entered the guest bedroom. The scene before them was uncomfortable at best. Mariku was no longer unconscious in bed. He was standing, teeth practically bared in rage as he kept the Thief King pinned to the wall. His hands were clutching tightly at Bakura's throat, and their bodies were pressed against eachother rather promiscuously. At first the lights weren't even noticed.

"I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll kill you...I'll..."

"Get off me!" Bakura struggled to get free. He hated the idea of being beaten by someone who technically wasn't supposed to leave his bed. "Get off!"

"No!" Mariku rested his head wearily against the white-haired yami's shoulder while at the same time putting more pressure on him and the wall. "No! I'll kill you! You need to die!"

Bakura suddenly saw the two hikaris and spat at them angrily. "What the_fuck _are you staring at? Get out!"

So caught up was he in his panicked rage, it took the younger spirit a moment to figure out who the tombrobber was talking to. Relief flooded his mind. Malik would help him! He wouldn't let Bakura send him back to Her. He'd promised Marik could stay in the Light forever.

"What are you doing? You stupid, crazy, DISGUSTING bastard! What the FUCK are you doing?"

Oh shit! _Oh shit! _It wasn't like that. That wasn't why he was doing this. Mariku jerked away from Bakura so fast his head began to spin. The Darkness wobbled about drunkenly for a moment until his knees finally gave out and he dropped to the ground. He tried to think coherently, really tried, but Marik's mind just didn't want to function. He was losing touch with reality. He barely remembered how to speak. All he knew was that Malik was angry, far angrier than he'd been in a long, long while. He also looked as if he'd been crying. "Malik?"

"Save it." Said Egyptian backed away, trying not to be sucked in by his darker half's beauiful, shadowy violet eyes. He wouldn't make that mistake again, not now, not ever. "I'm tired of being suckered in by your lies and cheap illusions. I'm leaving now, Marik, and I swear to Ra if you try to stop me I'll send you to the Shadow Realm so fast you won't even have time to beg me not to. Get the picture?"

Mariku gave an almost imperceptable nod.

"Good." Malik turned to go, but he bumped into the still inanimate Ryou as he attempted to breeze through the doorway and was caught by th arm.

"Malik wait!"

"Get out of my way!" Wrenching his wrist from the Brit's grasp, the blonde all but fled his sister's Domino apartment. In a blind rage he plunged down the stairs and across the living room. The last thing they heard from the boy as he left was the sound of the front door slamming shut.

Ryou looked over at his own yami, who was sitting on the floor, propped up exhausted and shellshocked against that same damned wall. _/Kura...w- what happened/_

But the Thief King didn't answer. He was too busy staring at Mariku. The Darkness was still lying in a heap on the ground. His hair stuck out in all directions, and blood had begun to soak through his fresh bandages. He didn't seem to notice. Marik simply sat their, eyes blank, unreadable, utterly desolate. He was staring at neither Bakura nor Ryou. In fact it was doubtful he saw anything in the room at all. No, though his eyes were open to the world of Light, Marik's true sight was lost in shadows.

_'He promised.'_

* * *

**-TOT **(Please don't hate me for this chapter! I'm sorry for another long update interval, and I'm sorry the characters came offso OOC. This chapter didn't really come out as well as I'd hoped, though I was rather pleased with Marik and Bakura's fight scene. Please review! Your comments mean the world to me.) 


	12. 12 Dream Talk and Tearful Spirits

**A/N-**Thank you so much for the reviews from the last chapter! They were stellar! 

**Chapter 12- Dream Talk and Tearful Spirits**

* * *

Ryou was the first to rouse himself from the shocked stupor of Malik's abrupt departure. With a slight shake of the head he stumbled forward, glancing at his yami before making his way over to Mariku. "Marik?" He bent down and set a hand on the Darkness' shoulder. "You don't look well. I think you should get back in bed." The blonde didn't reply. He didn't even make eye contact. However he did attempt to rise, pushing off the floor with his arms only to have them buckle before he could get to his feet. Ryou sighed and slipped an arm carefully around Marik's shoulders. He continued to stare off into space as the Brit helped him, moving in an awkward daze.

Finally managing to get the yami back in bed, the Brit glanced out the window to see if there was any sign of Malik. He couldn't find him but did spy Ishizu making her way up the street. "Come on, Kura. Let's go downstairs. We need to tell Ishizu what's going on."

Scrambling to stand, the Thief was hit by a sudden dizzy spell. He grunted in discomfort as his head began to spin, pain lancing across the right side of his face. Shrugging away this sensation, Bakura walked over to his hikari.

The Brit frowned. His ashen-haired yami must be pretty stupified if he was willing to actually follow orders. The Thief was just standing there staring at Mariku. Even when they made there way down to the living room, he kept looking back over his shoulder towards the blonde's room.

Ishizu entered just as they had sat down on the couch. She looked a bit windswept and no less stressed than before. "Oh, you're still here! Strange. I thought my brother would have returned by now."

Ryou winced. "He...uh...did."

The woman's forehead creased slightly. "Then where is he?"

"He left." Bakura's voice was unusually small. "There was a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Both Ishizu and Ryou were now staring at him. One was baffled, the other somewhere between suspicious and pissed off.

The Brit bit his lip lightly. "What _was_ going on between you and Marik?"

"I wasn't aware it mattered."

"Of course it matters! It would be nice to know why he looked like he was about to bloody jump you!"

_"IT WAS A FUCKING MISUNDERSTANDING! GOT THAT?"_

It wasn't often that Ryou got mad, but the teen had been through a lot in the past few months. He was sick of Bakura pushing his buttons. "I know! Thats...why...I'm..._ASKING!"_

Ishizu stared at them as they fought, completely at a loss as to what was going on. Seeing that the pair probably wouldn't stop arguing for a while, she slipped upstairs to check on Mariku. When she got there the woman was alarmed to find the Darkness sitting bolt upright in bed.

"Marik?"

He didn't even acknowledge her presense, just sat with his back painfully straight, staring into nothing.  
Ishizu was growing increasingly uneasy. The blonde spirit was definately acting strange. He wasn't being psychotic, but then he didn't exactly look calm either. Could he even hear her? "Marik? Where is my little brother?"

Finally the Darkness' eyes focused on the female in front of him. He took a moment, processing what she had said. "I don't know. When I leave perhaps he will return."

"What do you mean when you leave?" Ishizu was becoming more puzzled by the second. "You have your own body. Why would you have to go away in order for him to come back?"

"I..." Mariku's words whispered away to nothing. He shook his head, too tired to explain. Forgetting about the waiting Ishizu, the spirit finally allowed his body to fall back. The woman put a hand to her lips and rushed over. _'He's fainted.'_

* * *

Neither Ryou nor Bakura had spoken to eachother since leaving the Ishtar apartment. The long ride home had been filled with silence and the occasional disgruntled sigh. They had left shortly after Ishizu returned from Mariku's bedroom. She had told them that he had passed out, and that if they were going to insist on fighting they might as well do it at home where they wouldn't disturb him. It was rather surprising how harsh her words were. The woman obviously blamed them for whatever had befallen her brother and his yami.

The moment they had gotten home Ryou had headed upstairs. There was the slam of a door, and within moments loud, classical opera could be heard vibrating off the walls. 'Aida'...interesting choice.

Considering his light was currently sulking in the house's only bedroom, Bakura was now sitting at the kitchen table. He had a plate of store-bought sushi and was stabbing each piece viciously with his knife before popping it into his mouth. The Thief went through the day's events over and over in his mind, growing more and more despondent as he did so. Not only had Marik refused him, but he probably would never want to talk to the white-haired spirit again. Bakura growled to himself. He_deserved _Mariku! It wasn't fair! After all they'd suffered through together, how could the Darkness cast him aside?

_/ Bakura... /_

The Thief King tensed, grinding his palms against the edge of the table. _/ Silence yadunoshi! I'm not in the... /_

_/ ...please...please stop... / _The boy's words were faint, almost as if he were in a dream.

_/ Ryou, what the hell are you mumbling about/_

_/ Why...why are you doing this...it hurts...oh God...IT HURTS/_

A horrible icy feeling shot up Bakura's back. He'd heard those words before. He knew that panicked twang in the Brit's voice. The tombrobber covered his ears, but the images of of Ryou's nightmare still leaked into his mind.

* * *

The house was quiet, quiet and very dark. Gingerly, Ryou made his way across the carpet. School had just got out, and he desperately hoped his yami was sleeping. The Brit had done nothing to anger him, but Bakura had been in a dangerous mood that morning, and his moods usually lasted well into the evening. Opening the door to the bedroom he shared with the Thief, Ryou let out a relieved sigh. No one there. Bakura must have gone out.

Smiling softly at his own paranoia, the teen switched on his light and plopped down on his bed to do his homework. He hadn't gone through three math problems when he felt a faint tingling at the back of his neck.

"Ryou..."

Whirling around, the Brit let out an involuntary cry of alarm. Bakura was standing barely a foot behind him. The smile painted on the spirit's lips was one of pure malice.

"Hello little light."

"Ba-Bakura! How...how are you?"

The Thief King smirked at the terror he saw flaming from the Brit's eyes. How could he resist messing with the mind of someone so timid and weak. "Oh, I can't complain. How was school?"

"It was..."

Ryou's voice melted away as Bakura pulled a switchblade from his jeans pocket. Casually he flicked it open, holding the steel just a hairsbreath from the other boy's nose. "It was what, yadunoshi? Good? Bad? Of unclear distinction?"

"It was...it was..." Petrified with fear, Ryou let out a sob. "Why do you always do this?"

"Hmmm? Do what?" Slowly Bakura began to drag the flat of the blade across the teen's thoat.

"Scare me. Hurt me. Why do you do it? Why do you find my pain so appealing?"

"Pain?" Bakura grasped Ryou by the wrists and forced him to lie back on the bed. Ever so softly he used the tip of his blade to trace the line of the lighter boy's lips, pressing just hard enough so he could feel the metal's cold tang against his tongue. "What could you possibly know about pain?"

Ryou whimpered as the knife's point made its way up his face, tickling the bridge of his nose and along the crease of his shivering eyelids. "Please stop! Bakura!"

"Aww, am I_scaring _you yadunoshi? Would you rather me_hurt _you instead?"

The Brit's eyes snapped open as the tombrobber's hand closed deftly over his trachea. With a silent, air-deprived scream he began to struggle but was quickly subdued by the lack of oxygen. The wrenching of his shoulders became less violent. His kicking legs lost all feeling and lay still. On the brink of darkness Ryou stared up at his shadow and suddenly felt very sad. _/ Why are you doing this, Bakura? Why...what made you like this/_

It was as if a chord had snapped in the Thief King's brain. He let go of the teen's neck, allowing him to gasp feverishly for air. However Ryou's pants faded from Bakura's mind as he gazed back into his past, over an eternity of years and people and swirling sandstroms, over days so hot you felt your eyes were baking and nights so bitterly cold no fire could keep you warm. He thought of times where he'd been loved and times when revulsion and cruelty were all he'd known, of screams and laughter and terrifying, lust-filled cries. His whole life seemed to unfold at that moment, and as he examined it the spirit became more and more enraged. "What made me this way?" He stroked Ryou's cheek in mock comfort. "Let me show you."

Grabbing the Brit by the hair, Bakura tossed him further onto the bed. He took his switchblade, and within seconds Ryou's shirt lay in tattered strips on the floor. The white-haired boy, frozen with fear, stared up at him and shivered. "Bakura..."

"Shut up." Leaning over his prey, the Thief shoved his tongue forcefully into Ryou's mouth. The teen choked and presseduselessly against his shoulders. The bigger man merely smirked and tore at the Brit's lips with his teeth. Using his tongue to muffle the other's cry, Bakura began to fumble with his zipper. He pulled away from his hikari's lips, fully enjoying the look of horror in Ryou's eyes as he exposed his half-hardened arousal.

"...please...please stop..."

There was a cracking of joints as the Brit was belted across the face. Bakura leered. "I thought I told you to be quiet." Grabbing the remaining shreds of Ryou's t-shirt, the Thief used them to bind his wrists. Realization hit, and the teen's eyes grew even wider. It wasn't a game this time. His yami wasn't just trying to scare him, and he wasn't going to leave punishment at just a few bruises. Bakura had said so himself. He was about to give a lesson in real pain.

Bakura went for his hikari, and the boy finally began to fight. With incomprehensible shrieks of terror, he began lashing out with his legs. Several of these kicks did strike their target in the face and abdomen, but the hindrence was only temporary. Catching both of the flailing apendages, the Thief King managed to pin them beneath his body. "You should be grateful, little light. This will only make you stronger."

The tombrobber loosened his pants, and Ryou's breath hitched as his privates were exposed to the chill air. He didn't want this! He would rather have taken his chances with the spirit's switchblade. The sudden intrusion of two fingers in his backside caused the boy to cry out and blush with shame. Why was his yami doing this? He was supposed to understand him, supposed to protect him! But of course the Brit had forgotten one important fact. This was Bakura.

"Why...why are you doing this...it hurts...oh God...IT HURTS!"

Something larger than the Thief King's fingers entered, and Ryou screamed, screamed for all he was worth. In a burst of adrenaline he tore himself from Bakura and tumbled off the bed. Even without the use of his arms he managed to get to the feet, hoping against hope that he could make it to the bathroom in time to lock the door.

He got about halfway. Bakura caught him and finished their lesson in the middle of the hall. When he was done not only had Ryou been raped, but his knees and chest, even the side of his face, were covered with floor burns from where he'd been pounded into the carpet. The next day at school when Yugi asked what had happened he didn't lie or try to protect his darker half. The Brit simply looked his fellow hikari in the eye and let everything out. "I'm tired of hurting," he'd all but wailed. "I-I don't care what you do. Just make him leave!"

* * *

"Ryou! RYOU!"

The white-haired teen sat up suddenly, nearly knocking his distraught yami to the floor. "Kura? Kura, what's going on?"

Bakura was looming over him. His eyes were abnormally wide. He was shaking too, shaking and grasping at the boy's hand as if it were a lifeline. There was even a quiver to his deep, raspy voice. "R-Ryou. You're awake."

"Yeah, I...Bakura what's wrong?"

The Thief lowered his gaze. "Hikari, do you hate me?"

Ryou shook his head. "Listen, I know we had a fight and all, but that doesn't mean..."

"Not for that." The spirit still refused to meet his eye. "For what happened before, what I did to you."

The Brit gasped as images from his dream suddenly resurfaced in his mind. That's what Bakura was so upset about! He must have seen the nightmare through their mindlink. "Of course I don't hate you! Those images will stay with me forever, Bakura. I'm not going to lie and say they won't, but I could never hate you after all the good you've done. Never."

"The good I've done?" The spirit gave a bitter laugh. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Ryou patted his darker half's hand comfortingly. "What do you mean? Of course you've done good. If it weren't for you Mariku would still be in the Shadow Realm."

"Malik was the one who saved him."

"But he wouldn't have gone if you hadn't convinced him."

Bakura sighed and ran a hand through his frosty hair. "Then why doesn't he love me?"

Letting out a loud exhalation of his own, Ryou stared sadly at the Thief. Poor Bakura. He was so unused to these emotions. They were shattering his cold exterior,and the shards from this seemed to be going straight into his heart. "He _does _love you, Kura. He really does. Its just not that kind of love."

The spirit felt as if his chest were about to collapse. He'd never really thought about there being more than one type of love. Still, it didn't matter. "After what happened today I can't see how he could possibly love me at all."

"Kura, what happened? I know Marik wasn't trying to rape you. That just doesn't make any sense. Please, you have to tell me!"

Staring into his hikari's eyes, Bakura felt a sudden fondness for the other boy. Ryou was so warm, so pure, the complete opposite of himself. He wondered just how the Brit could stand being around someone like him. He hoped that when he finished his story the teen wouldn't hate him, but somehow the Thief King couldn't see that happening. "No, it wasn't like that. He was defending himself."

"From what?"

"Me. I told him how I felt, and when he rejected me I...I would have done anything to change his mind."

A chill terror clenched in Ryou's stomach. "Bakura, you didn't!"

"No." The Thief kept his eyes trained on his knees. "But I think I would have."

Silence followed. It was horrible, bone-crushing, leaving noise to be nonexistant yet somehow filling their very minds. Finally the lighter boy broke the spell. "Please look at me." The yami met his gaze but said nothing, forcing Ryou to continue. "Do you mean to tell me that, knowing what he's already been through, you would have willingly raped Mariku?"

"Yes." A sob was wrenched from Bakura's throat, and for the first time in possibly five millinia he cried. He clung desperately to his hikari, knowing full well that when he broke away Ryou would leave him, and he would really be alone. "Yes! I would have done anything..._anything_...to make Mariku mine! I...I love him!"

More tears soiled the stony hardness of Bakura's face, and despite his disgust, Ryou couldn't bring himself to pull away. Instead he wrapped him in a warm embrace and set a trembling hand on the Thief King's forehead. "I know Bakura, but tell me. Do you love him enough to let him go?"

* * *

'Aida'-an opera by Giuseppe Verdi (based in Ancient Egypt -no foolin'!)

-TOT (Okay, I know I've made Bakura WAY OOC in this fic, but I did try to turn up the creepy factor in the rape scene, seeing as in all actuality Bakura is, well, creepy. I kept the rape itself kind of vague though since FFN has been known to delete things that are too explicit. I hope you don't mind. Please R&R!)


	13. 13 End This

**Chapter 13- End This**

* * *

Malik was staying in a motel on the outskirts of Domino. It wasn't in disrepair, but then it wasn't exactly nice either. He'd contacted Rishid by cell phone about three days ago. However he hadn't mentioned where he was staying. All he said was that he needed time to think. 

Of course what Malik meant when he said 'think' was that whenever Mariku came into his thoughts he would concentrate on almost anything to put the Darkness out of his mind. Wondering how long he could stay before the motel managers finally kicked him out, the Egyptian gazed through the open window. He closed his eyes and smiled softly as sunlight caressed his face. It felt amazing, letting the orb's glowing tendrils warm his skin and hair. Even Mariku had admitted... Damn it! He would not think of his yami! He wouldn't!

Instead, Malik forced his thoughts towards his sister. Though Rishid had no doubt relayed his message, Ishizu would still be worried sick. She would also be very pissed off. The blonde felt guilty. He had already caused them so much pain, and now, because he was too weak to confront his darker half and the foreign emotions that came with doing so, he was putting yet more stress on Rishid and Ishizu's shoulders.

"I hate this." Fisting his hair, Malik groaned in fustration. "Why did it have to be me?"

A sudden sensation in the back of his mind caused the boy to quickly forget his selfpity. It was his mindlink. Though he had closed it, Malik could feel his other half trying to break through. Mariku wasn't saying anything specific. The Darkness was simply reaching out, almost desperately. _'He wants to know where I am.'_ For a moment the hikari thought of giving in. His yami's emotions were just so frantic, but then he remembered how Marik had grasped at Bakura's throat, how he'd pressed him up against the wall in a gesture of tainted lust. /_Get the hell out of my mind, Marik!_/ The teen closed his link so fast he could have sworn an audible snap filled the air.

Great. Now he had a headache. Fumbling to his feet, Malik made his way over to the bathroom where he had a bottle of asprin. He downed three, chewing each tablet to make them work faster. The taste didn't really bother him. After all, so much of the teen's life was already very bitter.

* * *

"Bakura! Are you almost ready?" Ryou waited in the living room, tapping his foot impatiently. "Come on! I'd like to get to Ishizu's apartment today if you don't mind!" 

"Shove it, yadunoshi! I'm coming!" Stomping down the stairs, the Thief King sent his hikari an irritated glare. It had only been three days, but his physical condition had vastly improved. The bandages on his chest and face were gone now, leaving behind nothing but scars. Ryou's heart clenched every time he looked at the phantom wounds. A part of him felt almost guilty for having the spirit sent back to the Shadow Realm in the first place. Bakura however didn't seem to mind the markings. They proved that he was strong, that he had been through hell and darkness and for the most part made it out intact.

Ryou'se breath caught in his throat. Now that he was mostly healed, Bakura had taken on a new wardrobe. Black leather had replaced sweatpants, and instead of a t-shirt, he was wearing a rather form-fitting, red sweater. However these thoughts vanished just as quickly as they came. The Brit slapped himself mentally. How could he think of something so trivial as his yami's clothing at a time like this? In fact, the whole reason they were going over to the Ishtar apartment was to try and figure out where Malik had run off to. "Let's go, Kura. Everyone else is probably there by now."

One car ride and several insincere insults later, the pair managed to find their way into Ishizu's kitchen. Yami and Yugi were there, as were Dr. Katsume, the rest of Yugi's friends, and, surprisingly enough, Seto. They were sitting around the table with Ishizu and Rishid. Marik was nowhere to be seen. "Hey, sorry we're late," Ryou murmured quietly before taking a seat between Anzu and Jounouchi.

"Don't worry about it, Ryou." We were simply discussing Malik's whereabouts."

Bakura, who chose to remain standing, scowled darkly at the Pharaoh when he said this. "And just what makes you think_you_ of all people will be able to find him?"

Yami rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Well perhaps you could, seeing as you were present when the whole fight between Ishtar and his darkness took place."

"What I witnessed is none of you damn business"

"Bakura! Yami! Maybe if you would stop fighting for one blasted second we could all think clearly and actually get somewhere!" Both spirits fell silent under Ryou's tirade. The Brit's outbursts were becoming more and more frequent, but this wasn't necissarily a bad thing.They proved that Ryou Bakura had a backbone after all.

"He's right." Ishizu smiled halfheartedly. "The sooner we cooperate the sooner we can find my brother."

Bakura shook his head. "It won't be that easy. We all know how stubborn Malik is. Even if we do find him, do you really expect him to come home just like that?"

The egyptian woman sighed. "I guess not."

"Well we can't just wait for him to come back." Everyone turned in Dr. Katsume's direction. "I mean if it were just about Malik throwing a fit I can understand leaving him to cool off, but I'm afraid his absence is affecting Mariku's health. Physically he's getting better, but the fact that he will only sleep during the day and barely acknowledges anyone's presence is deeply troubling."

"Ya know I still dunno why we're helpin' dat freak! He's been nothin' but trouble from day one!"

Katsume glared at Jounouchi. "You know, I rather resent you talking about my patient like that. From what I've gathered, not everyone has had a very pleasant past with Marik, but you could at least treat him like he's human!"

"But he ain't! Listen lady, ya don't even know da half o..."

"Katsuya please." Anzu held up her hand to silence the boy. "I know he's not exactly the nicest person. Okay, so he's not exactly nice at all. It doesn't matter though. Mariku needs our help, and though we may not want to give it, its the right thing to do."

"Anzu's got a point. Its about time we put aside the past."

Everyone nodded. Both Anzu and Yugi were right. Things were so screwed up, and holding on to bitterness wouldn't solve anything. Yami also knew this to be true, but deep down he couldn't let go of his anger. After all they'd done, why should Marik and Bakura be allowed happiness when he was still alone?

"Well I guess we should probably start our search in Mariku's room. I mean, he of all people should know what's going on."

Seto glanced over at Ryou. "Sadly enough, that's the smartest thing I've heard from you people all day. Let's go."

It felt like some kind of interrogation, everyone filing silently into the Darkness' room. No one knew what to do exactly. Jou crossed his arms. Anzu, Honda, and Otogi just tried to look small. Even Yami felt a bit out of place. He'd come in prepared to hound Mariku with questions until he finally opened his mouth, but then he'd also expected Mariku to be awake when he got there. Instead the blonde was lying stationary on the bed, arms at sides, body perfectly still.

Seeing that no one else was about to move any time soon, Bakura strode softly over to the bed. "Marik..." Shaking the younger spirit by the shoulders, he mentally willed him to wake. Carefully those amethyst eyes began to open but turned very cold when they recognized the Thief King. Sitting up, Mariku shoved him away. His gaze traveled slowly around the room, examining each face with equal scrutiny. It must be kind of unnerving, Ryou thought, to wake up surrounded by rivals.

Ishizu stepped forward. "We have come to ask you about my brother."

"We discussed this before." The Darkness' deep voice seemed to crack painfully with each word.

"Yes. You mentioned that he might return, but couldn't you contact Malik through your mindlink to find out where he's hiding?"

Mariku regarded the woman for a long time before he finally nodded. "Fine, but he won't answer. I guarantee it." The spirit closed his eyes, and for a moment the sennen eye on his forehead glowed vividly in the dimly lit room. After about a minute he opened his eyes. "I told you."

Ishizu's own gaze lowered. "I see."

The silence that probably would have followed was disrupted by a very confused Katsume. "Glowing eyes, mindlinks...my God what is_wrong_ with you people?"

Seto rolled his eyes. "Don't ask. Its just a bunch of bullshit."

"Wha da ya mean ya can't find him? He's yeh hikari for God's sake!"

"He shut me out." Mariku glared at the obnoxious blonde. Didn't they understand? He was the last person Malik wanted to talk to at that moment.

"How can you be so uncaring?" Honda clenched his fists angrily. "Its your fault he's gone, and you won't even make a real effort to find him!"

"Idiot! You know nothing!" Stepping forward, Bakura lashed out. His blow sent the teen flying backwards into Otogi, but before the spirit could advance Ryou stopped him.

"Kura! No! This isn't helping!" Literally dragging the Thief King back, the Brit stared at everyone in the room. "I think you should all leave now. Nothing will be accomplished with so many people around."

Dr. Katsume nodded. "Excellent idea, Ryou. Okay kids, let's go."

It didn't take much for most of them to leave, surprisingly enough. As much as the Yugi-tachi wanted to find Malik, having to talk to his yami civilly was kind ofcreepy. That and it wasn't really their place anyway. Honda, Anzu, and Otogi allowed themselves to be ushered out by the over-zealous physician. Kaiba and Yugi, also sensing that their presence was not required, trailed along behind. Soon only Bakura, Ryou, Yami, and the Ishtars remained. The Thief glared pointedly at Yami. "Shouldn't you run along with your aibou and his pathetic friends?"

Ignoring Bakura, the Pharaoh walked up to the bed. He gazed down disdainfully at Marik. "Listen here, I'm sick of your games. Either tellme where you've chased Malik off to or I'll make you tell me!"

_...make you love me..._

An uncertain twinge of fear flickered in the Darkness' stomach, but it was viciously beaten down. No matter how sorry his life became, he would never submit to the Pharaoh. "Are you really that stupid? You of all people should have sensed the Shadow Magic I used to call out to Malik."

"I sensed Shadow Magic true enough, but it doesn't mean you were actually trying to find him!"

Mariku was exhausted. He was tired of Yami's voice and Bakura's almost apologetic actions. The sooner they left the sooner he could find an end. "When I reached out to my hikari's mind he told me to leave. You should be happy that I finally honored one of his requests."

"I will never be happy with anything you do, Marik!" By now Yami was fuming. "You are a parasite! The mere fact of your existence defies all normality!"

"Yami!"

"My Pharaoh!"

"Bastard!"

All eyes were on the former god-king. Part of what he said was true, but to just come out and say it... well it seemed so cruel. Even Yami himself looked a bit shocked. The only person in the room who didn't seem affected, in fact, was Mariku. The expression on his face wasn't bored exactly, just kind of empty. He took the Pharaoh's words with a cold indifference. "Anything else you'd like to tell me before you go?"

"I..." For maybe the second time in his life, Yami was out of words. He had no reply for this. The eerie calm on the face of the younger spirit was worse than madness. He would have prefered the psychotic, raving Marik to the new, apathetic one any day. Without another word the Pharaoh left. Bakura had been right. For once he had no business being here.

"Alright." Ignoring the looks of disbelief on Rishid, Ishizu, and his yami's face, Ryou addressed the Darkness. "What do you suggest we do, Mariku. You know as well as the rest of us that we can't just let Malik run off like that."

The blonde sighed heavily. What would it take for these people to leave him alone? He was tired, so, so tired, and night was coming soon. Mariku couldn't sleep in the dark. He was too afraid that he might wake to find the Priestess looming in the shadows, blood-red eyes reading every fear that marred his soul. Tired...falling asleep, but they were still staring at him! He had to answer.

"By the end of the week my hikari will return."

"Are you sure?" Rishid raised a skeptical eyebrow. "How do you know this."

Ishizu looked equally unconvinced. "Did he...tell you?"

"No. Just trust me."

"I see." Drawing herself to full height, the woman glared down at the spirit. "The Pharaoh is right. This is nothing but a game to you, Yami Marik! It sickens me that after all we did for you you've still got the nerve to mess with our lives!"

"I just don't understand. It would be so much easier if you just told us where he was."

Ryou's voice was incredibly imploring, but it fell upon deaf ears. Mariku didn't respond. Maybe if he was quiet they would finally go away. He was sick of the questions, sick of the pain and the guilt and those hateful, accusing eyes. If only the spirit wasn't so tired! Then perhaps he would be able to deal with them. However that was not the case. At that moment he felt he could have slept forever.

Unable to take it any longer, Ishizu stormed out. Rishid quickly followed, and Ryou reluctantly brought up the rear. The Brit stopped in the doorway to wait for Bakura. It seemed the spirit was making a final attempt to talk with Mariku.

"Listen Ishtar, I..."

"Cant' you take a hint?" The blonde's voice was dripping with ill-supressed rage. "Get. Out."

The Thief grasped Marik by the shoulders and spun him around to face him. "You jackass! I'm trying to make you understand!"

"You can no longer MAKE me do anything. Besides, I understand everything perfectly. Your motives couldn't be more clear if you wrote them out for me."

"Motives?" Was it Ryou's imagination or did Bakura actually look hurt? "I never had any motives, Marik, not with you. Just give me a chance! I'll prove it!"

Another swell of weariness took the Darkness, and he leaned back into the pillows as far as possible without actually collapsing. "I'm sorry, Bakura. I'm sorry that I can never love you the way you want me to."

"Why? Do you love Malik?"

"And what if I did? Would you despise me?" His voice was softer than the Thief had ever heard.

"No." Bakura closed his eyes. "I could never despise you."

Mariku offered a quivery little smile that very few had ever seen. "Nor I you. Please believe me when I say that I want you to be happy."

The Thief King met the Darkness' gaze and suddenly began to understand what Ryou had meant when he talked about there being more than one kind of love. "Yes, I know." This said, he got up to go. "I'd better leave. Ryouis waiting for me."

Mariku nodded and watched him go. He wished he could love Bakura in the way the Thief desired, but he knew that pretending he wanted to be withhim would only end in more pain. Despite his own heartless tendancies, Marik pitied Bakura. With all his talk of being the darkness and not needing companionship, the Thief King sure was taking this hard. The blonde remembered how, when he had rejected Bakura the first time, he had looked as if someone had gouged his heart out. After five thousand years of supressing his emotions, it must feel horrible to be denied after finally admitting them to someone.

"Damnit," Mariku muttered. Why did he always end up hurting people? Not just Bakura, but Malik as well. He remembered with stark clarity the tone of hatred andrevulsion in his hikari's words.

_"What are you doing? You stupid, crazy, DISGUSTING bastard! What the FUCK are you doing?"_

If only Malik really knew. If only he could see Mariku, not as the monster he was, but as the person he desperately wished he could be. But it was too late now. The Darkness had destroyed any chances he had of gaining his hikari's love when hethrew Bakura up against that wall. Raping the Thief had been the farthest thing from his mind at that moment. Marik had only been trying to protect himself, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was what Malik saw, and when he looked at Marik,all he saw was the monster.

Gazing forlornly out the window, the Darkness wondered what had made him fall in love with his lighter half in the first place. It wasn't like they had gotten along at all before. Still, he remembered when they'd rescued him from the Priestess, how he had awoke to the sensation of soft hands caressing his face and a pair of beautiful violet-colored eyes. He remembered the wonderful feeling as Malik stolen his soul away from the shadows and allowed it to finally become emersed in light. Most of all he remembered Malik's promise, his promise that no matter what, Mariku would never be returned to the Shadow Realm.

But things were different now. After that stint with Bakura, Malik would like nothing better than to see his yami banished into darkness, and could he really beblamed for this? Mariku ran a shaky hand through his hair. Everything he had done in his life, whether intentionally or otherwise, had ended in heartbreak for those around him. He couldn't live with it. Malik and Bakura didn't deserve the pain he'd caused them. Hell, even the Yugi-tachi had dealt with his shit long enough. It was time to end this, and he would, in the only way he knew how.

* * *

**-TOT** (Ack! This is by far my least favorite chapter! So sorry for the horrible update time. I don't know what went wrong with this. I rewrote everything over and over, and it still didn't come out right. I just feel like I'm losing touch with the original plotline as well as the characters' original personalities, but this fic is almost done, and I will do my best to make the last few chapter worth your while. I'm afraid some people won't like the pairings this story ends in, but please don't be mad! I'm already planning another fic with the same characters but different pairings to make it up to you.) 


	14. 14 Shattered

**Chapter 14- Shattered**

* * *

With a disgruntled yawn, Ryou allowed his eyes to open. He'd been up nearly all night thinking about the conversation he'd overheard between Marik and his yami. The Brit knew that he shouldn't have been listening, but once he'd started, he just couldn't seem to pull away. It had been so compelling, watching two very hard people suddenly break down and open their hearts. Ryou wondered if Bakura finally understood what he had in Mariku, not a lover but something every bit a precious. He had a friend, and as stupid and frumpy and cliche as it sounded, friendship was important. 

"Morning hikari."

Giving a squeak of surprise, Ryou jumped backwards, falling off the couch and landing with a thump on the hardwood floor. "Bakura! Why'd you do that?" Rubbing his backside, the Brit struggled to his feet. "Did you have to sneak up on me like that? Falling off a sofa isn't exactly my idea of a good wake up call!"

Though he looked a bit tired also, Bakura smirked. "Its not my fault the sofa's so narrow."

"And its not_my_ fault you took the only bed!"

"Well if it matters that much to you, I suppose I could let you sleep in your room again."

"Nani?" Ryou blinked in surprise. Had his yami actually offered to give up the bed just because he'd complained about it? "Y-you don't need to. I don't want to make you sleep on the couch. After all, you're still hurt."

Snorting at his hikari's silly remark, Bakura flicked him playfully on the nose. "Of course I wouldn't sleep on that ratty, old thing. I'd share the bed with you, stupid." The Brit's eyes must have been as big as saucers, because the Thief King frowned slightly. "Or are you not comfortable with that?"

"No! Of course not! I just..."

"Just don't want to sleep in the same bed as your rapist." Bakura suddenly looked very sad. "That's understandable. I'll take the couch."

"Kura wait." Ryou took one of the yami's hands between his own. "Really, I-I wouldn't mind at all. I wasn't scared when you offered. It just wasn't the first thing I'd been expecting."

An uncomfortable silence passed, and then, quite suddenly, the Brit found himself enveloped in a bone-crushing hug. Bakura squeezed the frailer boy tightly. Before he had thought Ryou to be weak, but now the Thief King saw him in a whole knew light. He had come to understand that forgiveness took strength, and the fact that his hikari was able to forgive him further proved this. With a shaky sigh, he buried his nose in the teen's hair. Sometimes he forgot how nice it was to hold someone, to forget about the troubles of the world and take a moment to bask in comforting warmth of another's arms. "Ryou..." The Thiefgrimaced at his own sentimentality. "Ryou...Ryou...Ryou..."

The Brit wrapped his arms tentatively around his yami's shoulders. This was the second time in three days that Bakura had embraced him, and, though Ryou knew it was just because he was going through a rough time, he couldn't help feeling a bit giddy. Much too soon for his liking, the tombrobber pulled away. He didn't leave but stood there, staring into his hikari's eyes.

"Umm...Bakura?"

Jerking as if he had come out of a trance, the spirit drew back a step. "Yes?"

"Are you...okay... about this whole Mariku thing? I mean, you're not still mad at him are you?"

"No." Bakura suddenly became very interested in the floor. "I'm not mad."

Grabbing him by the hand, Ryou smiled softly at his yami. "I just want you to know that even if he's in love with someone else, Marik will never forget you. He's crazy as hell, but trust me. He won't forget."

"It hurts though," Bakura suddenly spat. "I know its for the best, but it still FUCKING hurts!"

Ryou sqeezed the spirit's hand lightly. "I-I know. If only we could control who we love. It would be so much easier."

Confused by the amount of bitterness in his lighter half's voice, Bakura looked up. "Idiot. You shouldn't say that."

"Why? Its true! Don't tell me that, if you had the choice, you would willingly fall for Mariku again!"

"But I would." The Thief took the teen's other hand and press both palms between his own. "I would because I'd rather lose risking it all for something that mattered than win what I don't really want by playing it safe. Life's a bitch, Ryou. Its not_supposed_ to be easy. It hurts. It kicks you while you're down and spits on you, but thats also what makes it great."

"Great?" Ryou almost choked on the word. "How does that make life great?"

"Its great because when you finally get what you want you know you've earned it." Bakura held his head high as he said this. "And even if you don't, at least it wasn't because you didn't try hard enough."

Unconsciously, the Brit leaned closer to his darker half. He wished he could live like that. He really did, but Ryou was not his yami. He feared rejection. If he were ever put into a situation like Bakura's, the Brit was sure he wouldn't make it through. That was why he could never tell the Thief how he really felt. He wasn't strong enough to handle being denied. "I don't really know wha..." Ryou's words as well as the mood of the conversation were cut off by the sound of a ringing telephone.

Bakura snorted in annoyance. "Damn contraption! Why even bother with them?" Snatching it off the hook, he thrust the reciever towards his hikari.

"Hello...oh Ishizu...what...no he's hasn't...what do you mean he won't come out?" The Egyptian woman began talking at length, and Ryou fell silent, his eyes growing steadily wider. Sensing his lighter half's panic, Bakura paced about restlessly.

Finally, with a hasty goodbye, the Brit hung up the phone. He turned to his yami, ready to answer the spirit's unasked question. "We're going to the Ishtars'. Hurry!"

* * *

"Marik! _Please!_ Open this door!" Ishizu pounded fruitlessly against the wooden structure, actually causing it to rattle in its frame. Her brother's yami had locked himself in the bathroom, and the woman was growing uneasy. Despite still being angry about the previous afternoon, Ishizu had gotten up early to check on the troublesome spirit. There had been nothing to suggest anything was out of the ordinary. He hadn't been in bed, but when she heard the water running in the adjoining bathroom the she had naturally assumed that he was taking a shower. That had been nearly two and a half hours ago. 

Giving up on the door, the woman dashed outside to the porch, praying that Ryou and Bakura would get there soon. She didn't know why, but Ishizu had a horrible feeling about this. Something Mariku had said kept replaying in her mind.

_'When I leave, perhaps he will return.'_

No! It couldn't be. The Darkness may have been insane but not in the suidcidal sense. Besides, why would he want to kill himself?

"Ishizu!"

Snapped out of her thoughts by the Brit's anxious voice, the Egyptian ran to the front entrance and dragged both yami and hikari into the apartment. "Hurry? He's upstairs!"

Not bothering to wait for her to finish speaking, Bakura vaulted up the steps. Turning into the spare bedroom, he imediately hurled himself at the bathroom door. "Mariku, what the_fuck_ are you doing?" There was no reply. All the Thief could here through the door was the sound of running water. "Damnit," he muttered to himself. Grabbing a hairpin from his pocket, Bakura began to pick the lock. With a silent click, it came undone. Smirking grimly, the spirit yanked on the handle. Nothing. The door remained perfectly immobile.

"Do you think he's keeping it closed with Shadow Magic?"

Snarling at his own stupidity, the Thief King concentrated on hisdark powers. Rays of light seemed to erupt from his chest as the Sennen Ring materialized around his neck. Strange. The object seemed to fit perfectly on the scars caused by the Priestess. 'Focus, damnit!' Clearing his head of such eerie thoughts, Bakura focused on destroying Mariku's spell.

Ryou stared in awe at his yami. He could actually feel the two energies pressing against eachother. The Brit shivered. It was as if the very essence of the robber's soul was bared before him. He couldsense not only Bakura's fustration, but also his fear. Mariku's aura, however, was a complete mystery. Try as he might, Ryou could not penetrate it's churning depths. _'Of course not. Only Malik can do that.'_

A cracking sound suddenly filled the air, and the Thief gasped harshly as the blonde's binding spell gave way. The door splintered and within seconds shattered like a pane of glass. Bakura stumbled forward, using an arm to shield his face from the oaken slivers. "Marik, you asshole! You'd better have a good excuse for..." The spirit's pupils shrank in horror at what he saw. "Oh shit..._SHIT!"_

Mariku was covered in blood. It ran in crimson pearls down his left shoulder, fanning out to taint the whiteness of the linoleum floor. Shakily, the Darkness lifted his unmaimed arm, digging the blade of the Sennen Rod deep within his tattered flesh. He continued to drag the metal across his skin, etching the lyrics of his pain into the bronzed and quivering canvas. For that was what they were. The cuts, Bakura realized with a sick sort of astonishment, were not random slashes but parallel lines of hieretic symbols wrapping horizontally around his upper arm. Because of the blood, he couldn't make out the meaning, but this did not lessen the horror of what Mariku was doing.

"Oh God." Ishizu stood frozen with shock. "Oh God, what is he..."

Hearing this, Mariku finally looked up. He stared at the three horrified faces, expression one of confusion and pain. The blonde tightening his grip on the Rod, either not noticing or simply uncaring of the fact that the blade was slicing deeply into his palm. Why were they here? They weren't supposed to find out until it was already too late. That's why Marik had left the shower running, so no one would walk in on him. Perhaps...perhaps he'd taken too long. That or maybe Malik had sensed him. Maybe Malik had felt the spirit's agony and decided to save him from himself. But no. The violet-eyed hikari was not among those who had discovered the Darkness. In an instant the breath of hope Mariku had been harboring crashed and burned like so many dying cinders.

"Marik! Stop this!" Voice unusually panicked, Bakura stumbled towards the other yami. He reached out his hand to knock the Rod away, only to be stopped by yet another barrier. The eye on the item's head began to glow, and within seconds Mariku was surrounded by a pale gold light.

"You don't understand!" They all winced at the desolate keen resonating in the blonde's words. "Just let me die. Everyone will be happier!" He resumed his carving, the bloody script boiling up beneath the dagger's point. His handwriting wasn't as neat as before. Mariku was growing dizzy, and his intricate symbols were growing steadily more sloppy as he continued down his arm. Soon he wouldn't even be able to read what he wrote. His vision was beginning to blur.

Ignoring the painful sting it's magic emitted, Bakura clawed desperately at the golden wall. "No! You're wrong! You idiot, killing yourself won't solve anything!"

Mariku sneered in a way that was almost reminescent of his Battle Ship days. "Why? What could possibly be gained if I survived?"

"Malik...he..." The Thief's mind refused to function. For some reason he couldn't figure out how to express his thoughts verbally. "He...he...damnit! YOU CAN'T DIE!"

Marik's grip on the Sennen Rod lessened, and for a moment it looked as if he would let it go. Then the light faded from his eyes, and the Darkness let out a mournful laugh. "On the contrary. Dying is very easy. Its living that I cannot understand." There was a sudden burst of energy, and the tombrobber was thrown back. The translucent barrier Mariku had created glowed brighter until only a sillouette of the spirit could be seen. "I'm sorry Bakura. One day perhaps you will all forgive me, but I doubt it."

'No! _NO!_ He's wrong!' Ignoring his hikari's astonished cry, the Thief bolted from the room. He had to prove to Marik he should live, but the spirit wouldn't listen to him. That meant only one thing. He would find Malik. Even if he had to swallow his jealousy, even if it hurt to know that the Darkness cared more for his hikari, he would find Malik. Because Mariku couldn't die. Bakura would not allow it.

* * *

Wandering the deserted streets of Domino City wasn't exactly what Malik considered a good time, but it was better than staying in the motel room all day. The blonde wrapped his arms about himself as he walked. It was by now early March, and everything was still cold. He smirked stonily as the wind tussled with his hair. For some reason he found thinking of his yami harder than ever to avoid. Mariku had been plaguing Malik's mind more than ever this morning, and he was beginning to feel uneasy. Was it just coincidence, or had something more sinister taken place? The teen had even considered seeking out the Darkness through their mindlink but shoved this thought aside as pride quickly took the upper hand. 

Still, that shivery feeling wouldn't leave him alone. Malik leaned against a nearby building, trying to find comfort in the lifeless brick. He gazed off into space, seeing nothing but the raging torrents coursing through his mind. So deep were the blonde's musings that he didn't see the ragged figure approaching at a dead sprint.

"ISHTAR!"

Malik cried out in alarm as the Thief King all but tackled him to the ground. How had he been found? Oh wait, the glow of the Ring sitting on Bakura's chest answered that one. However that still didn't explain his odd behavior. "What the hell do you want?"

The spirit wasn't listening. He simply tightened his grip on Malik's wrist and began dragging him down the street. "Hurry! Damnit, _HURRY!"_ Forcing himself and the teen into a run, Bakura tried to sense some of Mariku's Shadow Magic. It was growing weaker but had yet to die. There was still some hope.

The randomness of the whole situation had left Malik in a bit of a daze. He stumbled along behind Bakura as best he could, wondering what could possibly cause the tombrobber such distress. _'Probably has something to do with my yami.'_ The thought flew unbidden from the back of his mind, manifesting itself even more as they neared the Ishtars' apartment. Malik stopped just short of the door. "I'm not going in there, Bakura. I don't give a shit what's happened to Mariku. For all I care he can rot in hell!"

The Thief whirled around and, in one fluid motion, belted the Egyptian across the face. "If you ever say something like that again it will be you rotting in hell, tombkeeper!" Bakura slammed the smaller of the two up against the wall, eyes flashing dangerously. "You don't know how lucky you are! I would kill for ANYBODY to love me the way loves you! Do you understand that? He'd fucking DIE for you!"

"Die for me? Bakura, he tried to MURDER me!"

"That was a long time ago. People change." The white-haired spirit sighed. "Mariku is not what he once was. He didn't try to rape me, and he most certainly doesn't want you dead."

Malik's eyes grew wide in disbelief. "What do you mean he didn't try to rape you? I saw him shoving you up against a wall! Don't even try to tell me it was a misunderstanding!"

"But it was." The blonde felt as if Bakura's gaze was impaling his very soul. "You cannot possibly comprehend how many terrible things can happen because of a simple misunderstanding."

"Fine." Malik's body grew limp, and he allowed the spirit to drag him into the house. "I don't care anymore. If you want me to see him that bad then I will, but stop with all the love bullshit. I don't need to be lectured about such things by a homicidal Thief."

Bakura didn't reply. He simply hauled his load up the stairs, panting with exersion from each step. Damnit! He shouldn't have wasted so much time talking. What if it was already too late?

"Little brother, is that you?" As they mounted the stairs, Ishizu rushed forward to greet them. "Rishid and I have been so worried about you! We..."

"Out of our way." Shoving the woman aside, Bakura entered Marik's bedroom. He turned to Ryou, who was standing in the bathroom doorway. He was screaming himself hoarse.

"Please! Mariku put it down! Don't...STOP THAT!" The Brit sobbed harshly and looked away. He couldn't stand to watch. There was just so much blood. Rishid had also returned by now, and, though he remained silent, the man's eyes were filled with pity.

Dashing forward, Bakura gave a cry of alarm. Mariku was still alive, but only just. Unable to support himself any longer, the blonde was slumped against the glass door of the still running shower. His bleeding body had left a vivid streak of red against the pane. He still clutched the Sennen Rod in his hand, but his grip had loosened. The meticulous hieretic figures had long ago given way to an illegible, jagged scrawl. Glancing up, Mariku stared blearily at Bakura. "Malik." It was a demand, not a question.

Biting back the selfish jealousy gnawing at his heart, the Thief King nodded and stepped aside, clearing the path between yami and hikari. Both Egyptians froze as their eyes finally met. Malik looked terrified, ill, andhorribly confused all at once. As for Mariku...well Mariku just looked happy.

_/ You came. /_ The Darkness grinned, but it was the smile of a spectre. _/ I didn't think...that you would come. /_

The bronzed teenager simply nodded. He wanted to speak but couldn't. His throatburned with too many unshed tears. _/ Why? Why are you doing this/_

_/ Because I want you to be happy. /_ Mariku closed his eyes, and his grip on the Rod's blade grew a little tighter. _/ Because you hate me...and I can't live with that. /_

Tears streamed silently down Malik's face as he stared in disbelief at his other half. "No!" The word came out as more of a sob. "No, I could never hate you!"

Shaking his head as if to rid it of these contradictory words, Mariku brought the Rod down hard. It pierced the flesh at his elbow and continued down until it grazed the knobbly protrusion of his wrist. No more writing. The spirit was out of time. His powers were weakening, and soon Bakura would be able to break through his magic wall. Besides, he was shaking too badly to continue much longer. Mariku actually cried out as he tore another vertical gash in his lower arm. Damn, it hurt. It hurt worse than he would ever have imagined.

"No! No, please don't! Please! Mariku, I'm sorry! I don't hate you! I-I love you..."

Fireworks going off in his mind, the Darkness stared in disbelief at his hikari. Had Malik...had Malik said he_loved_ him? _'No, not me. He could never love me.'_ Caught in the throes of astonishment, Mariku's grip on the Sennen Rod accidently loosened. The barrier began to flicker.

Seeing his chance, Malik began to inch his way forward. He held out his hand to the spirit and continued talking, hoping to distract him long enough to disarm him. "Please, you can't do this to yourself. Its not worth it. There's too much to live for, too much of this world I haven't shown you yet!" The teen's hand finally met the weakening barrier. He winced at the sharp, tingling pain the contact caused but continued to force his way through. Slowly, Malik began to move through the crumbling wall. "I_do_ love you, Marik. I really do. I just didn't realize it before. S-stop this, and we can start over."

"You mean that?" Mariku could sense his lighter half breaking the barrier. He could also sense the genuine truth of the boy's words. The Rod clattered to the floor, the glowing eye at it's head extinguished.

Malik stumbled forward as the wall's resistance gave way. He almost fell but caught himself and moved forward, finally collapsing at his yami's side. "Mariku..." He caressed the wilder blonde's cheek gently, trying to wipe the tears from the other's eyes. He could feel his own tears falling into the reservoir of blood beneath them. He watched as crystal drops from both himself and Mariku fell into it, marring the once perfect crimson. "Why?" He shook his head and clung to the darker boy, noting how clammy his flesh now felt. "You idiot! Why?"

Mariku was amazed by the warmth of his hikari. As blackness rose inside his mind, the Darkness gave the teen's hand a quick squeeze. _/ ...so sorry...I hurt you again... /_ And the spirit knew no more.

Screaming at the top of his lungs, Malik began to shake Mariku's limp body. "You bastard! You bastard, no! _YOU CAN'T BE DEAD!"_

Ryou, Ishizu, and Rishid stared in morbid awe as the distraught hikari bashed his yami against the shower door, willing him hopelessly to wake. Only Bakura knew what to do. "What the FUCK are you doing? You don't even know if he's dead!" Moving forward with the speed of a cat, the Thief pried Malik off his unconscious darker half. He felt Mariku's neck, sighing with relief at the faint but unquestionably existant pulse. Still, there wasn't much time. Panic beginning to creep back into his heart, Bakura turned to Ryou. "Do something! Damnit, why are you standing around? _DO SOMETHING!"_

Snapping out of his shocked state, the Brit dug his cellphone from his pocket. "Hello...I'd like t-to report a suicide...the apartment complex at the end of Tsukikage Avenue...114...please...please hurry..." Snapping his phone shut, Ryou bit his lip nervously. "They're sending an ambulance. It should be here in about ten minutes."

Bakura nodded and glanced over at Malik. The Egyptian boy was sitting off to the side, gazing stupidly at the Sennen Rod in his hand.

"Don't get any ideas."

Malik looked up. "I-I'm not." Glaring hatefully at the item's blood-spattered blade, the boy hurled it as hard as he could at the mirror on the other end of the bathroom. It hit, shattering the pane into a million spider web fragments. The boy ignored his sister's cry of alarm. He just turned his back to the Rod's unmaimed surface and crawled back towards Mariku. Throwing the thing had felt good, but it wouldn't fix anything. The truth was that his yami would most likely die, die before he knew what it was to truly live. Malik grasped his hair in anguish, sobbing miserably into the bloody expanse of his yami's chest. "Oh God...its all my fault! I killed him! I...I killed him!" Sobbing uncontrollably, he stared at the sanguine script on Marik's arm.

_'The tears of the wicked will oft go unheeded.'_

_'When the demon weeps, no one will hear.'_

_'Looking into the eyes of the monster, do we see the heart of the child?'_

_'Not innocence lost. It was never there at all.'_

Blood obscured everything else, everything but one jagged phrase.

_'Help me! Help me, please!'_

* * *

**-TOT **(This was a hard chapter to write, but I was fairly pleased with it. I'm going to be gone for a week, but I'll try to update as quickly as possible. I'm planning two more chapters, and I hope to finish by mid August. Thanks once again for the beautiful reviews. They are very much appreciated.

I almost forgot...

Thanks to **Madam Foogie** for that bit about morphine. You're absolutely right. I should have done more research on painkillers before I wrote that chapter. I was rushing and remembered a tidbit from one of the Jurassic Park novels (Michael Crichton owns J.P., not me), but thats not much of an excuse. Next time I'll try to be more thorough.)


	15. 15 Hold Me Up

**Chapter 15- Hold Me Up**

* * *

Malik sat in the waiting room of Domino City Hospital, staring at the large, metal door that separated him from his yami. Getting Mariku through the medical staff hadn't been as tricky as one might have thought. He didn't have any kind of birth certificate or legal registration, but after a quick call from one of the hospital's biggest corporate sponsers, there had been no more questions. Now all they could do was wait for the results. It had been almost three hours and still no news.

"Hey, you okay?"

Malik looked up at Ryou and shook his head. "I can feel him fighting... like last time when I sent him away, but he's in so much pain." The teen sighed. "Fighting and pain. Its all he ever knew."

The Brit nodded. "Yeah. I-I mean what with the circumstances of his birth and all, I guess... I guess he never had much of a chance." Ryou wrapped the other boy in a tight hug, allowing Malik to cry despairingly into his chest. The Egyptian was taking this so hard. It was obvious that he felt personally responsible for Mariku's actions.

"D-do you think he'll be happier on the other side?" Malik stuttered helplessly, unable to keep his voice under control. "Will the Gods show him mercy? I mean its...its not his fault h-he's like that. Its mine. Its..."

"Will you shut up?"

Both hikaris stared bleary-eyed at Bakura. The Thief King had been pacing up and down the hall the whole time. He looked livid.

"Kura! How can you be so insensitive?"

"Insensitive?" The spirit sneered. "You're talking about Mariku as if he were already dead, and you call ME insensitive? Get it through your fucking heads! Its not over yet!"

Everyone was silent for a moment, then Malik began crying even harder. Bakura was right. He couldn't give up on his yami just yet, but it was so damn hard! When they had loaded Mariku into the ambulance he had been so cold, as if he were already dead.

"Excuse me, Malik Ishtar?"

The blonde looked up eagerly at the nurse. "Is he alright?"

The woman forced a reassuring smile. "Considering the extent of your friend's injuries, I'd say he's doing remarkably well. We performed a blood transfusion and put him on a a drip to restore fluids. He's resting in ICU if you'd like to see him."

Malik leapt to his feet so fast his head began to spin. "Yes, of course!" He followed the nurse, barely noticing Bakura and Ryou bringing up the rear. His sister and guardian weren't there. Rishid was contacting the Pharaoh, and Ishizu was still helping Kaiba get Marik's paperwork ironed out. Malik didn't mind though. He wasn't really in the mood to be surrounded by people anyway.

"And here we are." Swinging the door wide open, the nurse stepped aside so the three could enter. Malik rushed right to the bed, but Ryou and Bakura hung back, not really knowing what to do. Sensing the tension, she quickly made herself scarce. "Well, I'll leave you alone for the moment. Just page me at the front desk if you need anything."

The blonde didn't reply. He simply sank to his knees, staring in horror at his yami's mangled arm. Though the blood was gone, it was still a mess. Piecing together Mariku's tattered flesh must have been a painstaking process. Line after line of delicate stitches zig-zagged across his arm, holding shut the deepest wounds while strips of gauze covered those that were less serious. The gashes on his wrists were especially horrible. The depth of the cuts, coupled with how sensitive the skin in that area was, had caused the edges of the sewn flesh to bruise, turning a ghastly sort of purple.

As gently as possible, Malik grasped the Darkness' hand. Mariku stirred when he did this, his head and shoulders shifting slightly in the teen's direction. Malik gave his palm a faint squeeze. "Can you hear me?"

There was no answer, simply the smooth and blissful silence of one lost in the deepest realms of sleep. The hikari gazed up into his yami's face. Even with the unusually pastypallor of his face, Marik appeared quite tranquil.

"He looks happy."

Malik nodded slightly at Ryou's words. "He does."

"Fucking pessimists. What did I tell you?"

Ryou rolled his eyes in Bakura's direction. "Forgive us Oh Great One! How could we have been so foolish as to not have trusted the word of a thief?"

The Egyptian chuckled softly at the white-tressed duo, his breath causing Mariku's bangs to flutter. Hesitating for less than an instant, he touched his lips to the Darkness' forehead. He almost gasped. Beneath that warm expanse of bronze, Malik could sense the life coursing deep within his yami's soul. He could hear Mariku's heartbeat and feel the strange current of his spirit, weakened perhaps, but still resilliant. A faint smile playing at his lips, the teen pulled away. "He'll be alright. I'm sure of it."

With a happy laugh, the Brit launched himself at Malik. "Kura was right! I can't believe we almost gave up hope!" Turning back to the door, Ryou was surprised to find the Thief had vanished. Slowly he unwound himself from Malik's waist. "Bakura?" He searched for him through the mindlink. No reply.

The tanner of the two frowned. "Where'd he go?"

"I'm not sure." Biting back the irrational worry building in his stomach, Ryou went to look down the hall. "There's no sign of him anywhere. I'd better go look."

"I'll help."

Noting the hint of reluctance in Malik's voice, Ryou shook his head. "No, you should stay here. Marik needs you more than anyone."

The Egyptian gripped his yami's hand a little tighter. "You sure?"

"Positive." In an instant the Brit disappeared around the corner, leaving Malik to watch over his fallen dark side. Realizing that he would get nowhere wandering aimlessly through the hospital corridors, Ryou called upon the Sennen Ring. A part of him hadn't expected it to appear, seeing as he was nothing but a vessal, but after about a minute or so of concentrating he could feel it's cold surface materialize on his chest. _'Show me to Bakura.'_

Nothing... The item simply didn't react. Ryou cried out in dismay. Why was he able to call upon the Ring but still be unable to use it? Wait! He was forgetting something. Bakura wasn't the Thief's real name! Almost laughing at his own stupidity, the Brit closed his eyes and held up the golden amulet._ 'Touzouko. Find Touzouko...'_

The hallway was filled with a faint glow as one of the Ring's points began to stir before finally settling on a location somewhere to his left. Breaking into a run, Ryou set off in that direction. He kept his eyes fixed on this single prick of light, often stumbling for his trouble. He zig-zagged madly down the halls, coming to a sudden stop as item's point torqued upwards at an odd angle. The teen stood there for a minute, out of breath and slightly stunned. Then, finally looking up into the steril whiteness surrounding him, he groaned. "Idiot!"

It was a staircase.

Slapping himself on the forehead, Ryou made his way up the steps. Where could they lead to? He was already on the hospital's highest story. At the top of the stairs was an unremarkable, steel door. Without thinking, the Brit pushed it open. What he saw took his breath away.

The door took him not to another endless hospital corridor as he'd expected, but outside onto the roof. The Ring hadn't led him astray after all. Bakura stood near the edge of the building, gazing down into the bustling maze that was Domino City. The sky was just beginning to bleed red with the approaching sunset. It contrasted sharply with the cool, midnight blue of the offices and apartment complexes, as if casting upon them some kind of heavenly shadow. The yami seemed every bit as captivated by this picture as Ryou, for his usually sharp gaze appeared far away and vacant. The Brit was imediately struck with how beautiful Bakura appeared. With that distant look in his eyes and the way his body was sillouetted by the dying sun, the Thief looked almost like an angel.

"Kura?"

Whirling around, the spirit's voice came in a rattled gasp. "Ryou! What are you doing here?"

The Brit smiled and fingered the Sennen item around his neck. "I know a bit more about shadow magic than you give me credit for." Slowly, he walked out onto the roof. "This view sure is something! How did you find this?"

"I don't know. I just..." Bakura sighed. "...just had to get away."

Without thinking, Ryou grasped his other's hand. "You did the right thing, you know. If you hadn't found Malik Mariku would really be dead."

"I'm aware of that."

"You were also right about what you said about life. It hurts to be rejected, but it hurts even more to never try at all."

Bakura snorted. "I was being an idiot. Its not really worth it, just something people say to sound poetic. Listen to me, yadunoshi. Be careful with your heart, because when it fucking breaks you'll realize how much of a bitch living can be!"

"Don't say that!" Ryou wrapped his arms tightly around his yami's torso. "I know it hurts to see Malik with the one you love, but think about it. Even if you hadn't confessed, would it have been any less painful?"

The Thief furrowed his brows slightly and pulled his hikari closer to his chest. "No, I guess not."

"Then why are you so bitter?"

Bakura opened his mouth to speak but paused for a moment. He couldn't just spit out some cocky reply. This was Ryou damnit! He expected a real answer. "I'm tired of being alone."

There was a long silence. Both figures just stood there, staring off into a miasma of concrete and gold-dipped clouds. Suddenly Ryou spoke, his breathy whisper breaking the stillness. "I get that. Deep down, everyone's afraid of being lonely. They're scared that if they're by themselves, their very existance will be meaningless."

Bakura lifted the teen's chin and stared down into his trembling face. The Brit never could hide his emotions. They were splayed out like a map in the shimmering facets of his eyes. "Hikari, are you lonely?"

It was in thatinstant that Ryou made his move. Without stopping to think about the consequences he arched his neck, capturing the spirit's lips in a shy kiss. "...yes..." He trembled and pulled away. "I-I am."

For a moment Bakura's mind refused to function. He just stood there, wondering if what had just happened was real or some kind of confusing dream. Ryou loved him? Why? How? Did he love him back? A million questions raced through the Thief's mind, and just as he thought he might be drowned in their unrelenting flow, something shocked him back to life. His hikari... his hikari was leaving. With an almost desperate cry, Bakura jumped between Ryou and the door. Tears were streaming down the Brit's face. Why was he crying?

"Ry..."

"Its okay." The boy's lips fumbled until they found a position similar to that of a smile. "I understand that you don't feel the same. I just had to find some way of telling you..."

The tombrobber stared with unabashed astonishment at his other half. So it was true. Ryou did love him, but he just couldn't return that love. Bakura's heart was already with Mariku, but then why had the teen's lips against his own felt so right? How was it that staring into Ryou's eyes made him feel like he was falling? True, a part of him would always be lost in the dark and beautiful passion that was Malik Ishtar's yami, but then, if there was more than one kind of love, couldn't you love more than one person? Maybe Bakura had been blind. Maybe the person who could make him happy had been at his side the whole time.

Feeling as if his heart were about to explode, the Brit waited for Bakura to say something... _anything_. He didn't want his yami to hate him. He just wanted him to know, but when the Thief remained silent Ryou seriously began regretting his words. He'd been too forward. He shouldn't have...

The teen let out a muffled cry as a pair of lips suddenly attacked his own. Fireworks erupted in his mind, fueled to new levels of intensity as Bakura's tongue slipped into his mouth. He wanted to laugh, cry, and scream all at the same, but all Ryou could manage was a deep-throated moan. He clung desperately to his darker half. He couldn't let this moment end, not now when they stood at the edge of the precipice, mortals below and the flames of Heaven dancing above. It was magic, not shadow magic or other forms that could kill, but true magic, unhindered by violence or human hate. When Bakura finally broke away, Ryou could feel the spell's after effects dancing across his still parted lips.

"Ryou?"

"Kura?"

An unspoken agreement passed between them then, a decision that would further entwine their fates, but it would be alright. They had been through rough times and would doubtlessly go through many more, but they would make it through. It was instants like this, instants that tore apart the illusions of light and dark and let real magic surface, that would always remind them. No matter what it took, no matter how painful things would get, in the end it would always be alright.

* * *

"For the last time, you can't go in there!" Malik's throat hurt from screaming. "He's still sleeping, Yami! YOU CAN'T GO IN!"

Trying to get past the blonde blocking the doorway, the former Pharaoh let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine! I won't try talking to Marik. Just tell me where I can find Ryou and Bakura!" They had come to the hospital as soon as Rishid told them, and even Atem couldn't comprehend the unusually malicious emotions running through him.

"I don't know! Bakura left and Ryou went to go look for him!"

Yami stomach did a painful flip. _/Damn that Thief! Probably luring him off so he can seduce him.../_

_/Yami..._/ Yugi mentally groaned. _/One of the only people Bakura cares about just tried to kill himself! He probably couldn't handle seeing Mariku in such a bad state./_

His Aibou was right. He knew his Aibou was right, but for once Yami couldn't find it in himself to practice restraint. Pinching the bridge of his nose in fustration, the star-haired spirit glared daggers at the Egyptian. "Even after Battle City, I've always gone out of my way to help you, Malik! The least you could do is tell me what's going on!"

"What do you want me to tell you?" By now Malik was close to tears. "That my yami tried to kill himself? That because of me he used that fucking Rod to hack apart his arm? Well thats what happened, Pharaoh! Because of my stupidity Mariku wanted to die, and if Bakura hadn't found me when he did, he probably would have!"

Just as Yami was about to reply, a soft groan caused Malik to jump. Turning his back on the two look-a-likes, he raced to the Darkness' side. Mariku was waking up.

"M-marik?"

Twisting his head from side to side, the spirit's eyes finally opened. He stared at the hikari dazedly, unable to bring his gaze into focus. All he was really aware of was his lighter half's voice as well as the excruciating agony tearing through his left arm. Trying to lift the apendage, Mariku gasped in pain. Damn. It hurt.

"Don't move." Malik reached out, laying his hand gently on his yami's one good arm. He could feel the Darkness' pain and confusion through their link. "Do you remember what happened?"

For a moment Marik didn't reply. He closed his eyes, trying to sort through the memories that suddenly seemed to bombard him. Then, with a rattling intake of breath, he nodded.

This simply action caused Malik's floodgates to open. With a screaming sob, he poured out all the raw, heartwrenching grief that had been festering in is soul. "I'm sorry," he choked. "I-I'm so sorry!"

Seeing his hikari in such a state, Mariku brought his right arm up, shakily caressing the boy's face. _/Don't./ _He wiped a few stray tears from the Egyptian's cheek. _/Its stupid to be sorry for something thats not your fault./ _Of all people, why was Malik apologizing to him? Marik was the cause behind all his problems in the first place.

"Mariku!" The name came in a kind of broken gasp. He lay his hand over his yami's, trying to stop it's trembling. "Don't...don't ever do something like that again...I love you too much...Oh God...I love you!" The boy was starting to hyperventilate. Within seconds he was an incoherent mess of tearful sobs.

Still confused by his lighter half's actions, Marik watched him cry. It was unbelievable. Did Malik really care for him that much?

"You're awake."

Ryou and Bakura had returned. Both appeared to be fine, though they did look a little rumpled. Brushing past Yami, Bakura strode into the room. He knelt by Malik and stared deep within Mariku's eyes. "You sure know how to cause a scene." He cracked a familiar grin. "Crazy bastard."

Despite himself, the bedridden blonde smirked back. "...heh...I'll remember that during our next shadow game..."

Pulling the still shaken Malik into a comforting hug, Ryou also couldn't help smiling. "We're just happy you're back, Marik. W-we were so scared. I mean when you..." The Brit didn't finish. Instead he opted to bury his face in his fellow hikari's chest.

Mariku's own breath caught in his throat. He'd hurt them, really hurt them, but they still weren't willing to leave his side. What was it that could make people so forgiving...so loving? He didn't understand it and probably never would. The spirit allowed his eyelids to droop as a few stray tears appeared came to cling to his lashes.

Yami watched the group from the doorway, feeling like a complete outsider. Up until this point he'd really thought Bakura and Mariku wouldn't change, that they were putting on some kind of elaborate act, but he couldn't find a single lie in this. They werebehaving so tenderly. It was as if the ice in their souls had begun to melt, leaving behind something which wascompletely human, flawed perhaps, but still human.

"Pharaoh, he's awake."

Glancing up, the spirit was glad to see Rishid and Ishizu had returned. Even they didn't intrude upon the others' moment. Like Yugi and Atem,they were left to the sidelines.

"Do you think they'll be alright now?"

Yugi beamed up at Ishizu. "After making it through something like this, I don't see how they possibly couldn't."

"Yes," Rishid nodded. "I am sure they are strong enough."

They stood there for a moment, lost in the scene before them, when suddenly Yami walked away. He couldn't take it anymore. Why did he have to be the good one? Why did he have to be just and kind and honorable and worst of all lonely while Bakura and Marik could be as horrible as they wanted and still get all the sympathy? They looked so happy, lost in the moment together. Why couldn't he experience something like that? Ignoring the others' shouts he stormed around the corner and kept going until he came to a dead end hall. With an angry shout, the spirit slammed his fist into the wall. "Why do I always have to be strong? Couldn'tsomeone hold meup for a change?"

"I could, you know. I'm always there." Yugi approached the Pharaoh, arms outstretched. "I don't know how much its worth to you, but I won't leave you, not in a million years."

For a moment Yami stared dumbly into is hikari's saddened eyes. Then, slowly, he pulled the boy into his arms. "Don't think like that, Aibou. You mean the world to me, really you do. Its just that sometimes... well sometimes I feel like I need something more than just friendship."

_/You're not the only one./ _Blushing deeply, Yugi refused to meet the spirit's gaze.

Yami, in turn, looked flabbergasted. Did Yugi really mean that? He wasn't just saying it to try to make him feel better or because he didn't quite understand? "You mean..."

"I'm not lying!" Finally looking up,the boy locked eyes with his other half.

The moment their eyes met, Yami forgot the feelings he'd been harboring for Ryou. He forgot jealousy, forgot loneliness. All he could focus on was his Aibou's pretty face. He'd been with Yugi for years now, but never had Atem really took the time to look at him as he did now. He remembered the boy's words and smiled. It seems he had found someone to hold him up after all.

* * *

**-TOT **(I hope you liked this chapter. I didn't put as much Marik/Malik fluff in there as I would have liked, but I'll make it up in the last chapter. Also, I might write an epilogue. Anyway, this chapter mainly focused on Ryou and Bakura finally getting together. I realized when I was writing their kiss scene that I really haven't put much romance into this story. Oh well. I'll make that up to you as well. Well, good bye for now, and thank you once again for taking the time to review.)


	16. 16 Two Words

**A/N- **I'm kind of terrified for the wellbeing of this chapter. I tried to be careful, but I'm afraid the lemon might be a bit intense for the folks at FFN. Anyway, this will be the last chapter. I thought of writing a epilogue, but really, there's not much more to say. Thank you so much to all those who took the time to review or even just read this story. I don't mean to be one of those writers who creates stories solely for reviews, but I don't think some people realize just how encouraging feedback can be. 

**Chapter 16-Two Words**

* * *

Three months had passed since Marik's attempted suicide, three months of laughter, tears, and a great deal of changes. Ryou and Bakura were a well known couple by now. So were Yugi and Pharaoh Atem, and, though they were not officially together, both blonde Egyptians lived in the same apartment, choosing to stay in Domino while Rishid and Ishizu returned to Egypt. Still, things weren't perfect. Putting the past behind them had been harder for Malik and his yami than either would like to admit. Malik still jumped at the slightest hint of the Darkness' former behavior, and, though his physical wounds had healed, Mariku would often be awakened in the night by the sound of his own screams.

"What's for dinner?"

"What else? Take out." Malik smirked at his darker half, finding the annoyed look on his face rather amusing. "If you're such a picky eater, Marik, maybe you should learn to cook."

Mariku crossed his arms and turned his attention back to the open window. "Don't have time."

"Don't have time? Come on, what else could you possibly be doing?"

Rolling his eyes, the spirit got up and started flipping through the phone book. "Well, by the time I come up with and successfuly execute my next plan for world destruction, I don't believe there will be much of a chance to practice culinary arts, do you?" He paused when he got to the yellow pages. "What was the name of the one middle eastern restauraunt again?"

Slamming the phone against the counter, Malik glared at his yami. "Asshole. You shouldn't kid about shit like that!"

"What the fuck? I was joking!"

"Well don't! It scares people!"

"Oh, is that it?" Mariku stood up, eyes glinting sharply. "You're scared of me? Well I'm glad you feel this way! I'm glad you're fucking scared! After all, who knows when a psycho like me will snap and go on a Ra-damned rampage!"

Malik winced at the hurt hiding behind the spirit's biting words. "T-thats not what I meant. I just..."

"Just what?" Mariku pulled his hands into firsts and then relaxed them quite suddenly. Why bother getting mad? He couldn't really blame Malik for fearing him. No matter how hard he strove to better himself, the spirit would never get around one, simple fact. He was born of hate, and though his soul had finally learned to express other, better emotions that hatred would never leave. It was a fundamental part of him, as essential as it was frightening. "Whatever," the Darkness muttered. "I'm leaving."

Malik listened to the other's footsteps with a heavy heart. Despite his often cruel demeanor, his yami could be surprisingly sensitive at times. The teen grabbed the probably damaged phone off the counter and began dialing. Maybe Ryou would know what to do.

* * *

"Ow! Stop it! Kura, stop!" Ryou giggled madly as the Thief continued to nip at the soft skin below his throat, moaning every so often as he slid his tongue across that pale expanse of flesh. Bakura continued his ministrations despite the Brit's protests. He knew he liked it.

"Mmm, you taste good, hikari." Licking his by now slightly swollen lips, the spirit planted Ryou with a deep, bloodwarming kiss. Both gasped heatedly into eachothers' mouths, their tongues working almost frantically. The two were so lost in their passion that they didn't notice how close they had rolled to the edge of the mattress until...

They hit the floor with a dull thump, Ryou grunting in discomfort as Bakura's significant bodyweight hit him square in the stomach. He shook his head, mind still clouded by lust despite the fall. "Wow...that hurt."

"Hmm?" Bakura wasn't really listening. Instead he began working at the buttons of the teen's shirt, sorely tempted to rip the thing right off. Who cared if they were on the ground? The Brit's mewling provided enough evidence to the theory that location didn't really matter. Finally removing Ryou's shirt, the Thief brought attention to his lower body, deft fingers playing with the fringe of silver hair that trailed down from just below his navel. "You like that?"

Ryou choked and nodded as the spirit's hands danced lower. "Y-yes..."

"Then you'll love this." A devious smirk lit upon Bakura's face as his hands slipped below the hikari's belt. He was about to go in for the kill. He was about to...

_...ring...ring...ring...ri..._

"Damnit!" Jerking the phone off the bedside table, Bakura practically threw it at his light. "What the fuck is with that piece of shit? Its ruining my life!"

Ignoring the Thief's ranting, Ryou pressed the talk button. "Hello?"

"Ryou?"

"Oh Malik! How are you?" Strange, he sounded kind of upset.

"Its not a bad time, is it?"

The Brit glanced aprehensively at his yami, who, having finished spewing all the Egyptian curse words known to man, was now pacing about the room, pissed off and with an obvious erection. "Uh...no, of course not! What seems to be the matter?"

"Mariku and I got in another fight." Malik gave a rattling sigh. "I know it sounds stupid, but sometimes I get worried. I mean, I think he cares, but there's always the chance...

"The chance of what?" Bakura snatched the phone from Ryou's grasp. "That he's just messing around and doesn't give a shit about you? Come on, Malik! He was willing to fucking DIE for you!"

"I know!" The blonde really did sound miserable. "I just wish I knew how to connect with him. For being a part of me, he sure isdifficult to understand sometimes!"

"Its not that Ra-damned hard! Just...mmph..."

The Thief's scratchy voice was cut off ebruptly as Ryou reclaimed the phone. "Where's Mariku now?"

"I don't know! He got all depressed looking and just walked out!"

"Any idea where he is?"

"No. He shut down his mindlink when he left the house."

Ryou and Bakura exchanged looks. This could be bad.

* * *

"You'd better have a damn good excuse, tombkeeper." Bakura bitched to himself as he walked, the ever useful Sennen Ring pointing him in what he assumed was the right direction. He was at the docks. It was by now late evening, the time of night when the stars are just beggining to force their way through the purple mists of twilight. At other times the Thief King would have enjoyed this. There was no better time to hide oneself in shadows than at the brink of night. However as long as Mariku still elluded him, the spirit's mind refused to be at ease. He was fairly confident that the Darkness wouldn't try hurting himself again, but nothing in life was certain.

_/Have you found him yet/_

_/No./ _Bakura thought briefly of the fun he could be having with his hikari. _/Have you/_

Through their link he could sense Ryou's worry. _/No. I haven't./_

/_Listen. Head back to Malik's house and see how he's doing. I don't think we'll.../_

_/We'll what/_

Bakura didn't reply. Instead he ignored his mindlink and sprinted towards one of the most reclusive piers. He'd found Mariku. The Darkness stood at the very edge of of the dock, staring off into the grey-tinted ocean. His eyes were downcast. However their color mirrored that of the waves, creating a sort of shadowed lilac. Not knowing he was being watched, Marik pulled up the sleeve of his ever present pullover. He trailed his fingers almost absently along the scars before digging his nails violently into his wrist.

"Just what the hell are you doing?"

Turning around, Mariku actually appeared quite startled. He'd been so ensnared in his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the other spirit approaching. Jerking down his sleeve, he returned Bakura's question with one of his own. "Why are you here?"

With an angry snort, the Thief grasped Marik by the front of his shirt and thrust him up against the wooden railing. "Because at this very moment your hikari is sitting at home crying his eyes out, scared shitless that you'll try killing yourself again. Becau..." Bakura stopped. Was that guilt burning in Mariku's eyes? "You weren't, were you? Don't lie, Marik! I saw you grabbing at your arm! How could you be so stupid? Do you really want to hurt Malik that badly?"

"No!" The Darkness shuddered. "No! Ra no! I wasn't...I-I swear. I was just angry...fustrated."

Bakura relaxed his grip, allowing the blonde to fall back onto his feet. "Why?"

"How do I tell him? What the fuck am I supposed to do to show Malik don't want to hurt him, that I want be with him...on a deeper level?"

"You mean as a lover?"

Mariku nodded. Yes, that was exactly what he wanted.

The jealousy that had never really died flickered briefly in the Thief King's soul. He loved Ryou. He loved Ryou with all his heart, but a part of him couldn't let go. He just had to know what he could have had with Mariku. "Can I ask you a favor?"

The Darkness shrugged.

"Kiss me."

"What?" Marik's eyes grew very wide. "I thought we were over this! I already told you, I don't..."

Bakura put a finger to the blonde's lips. "Shh, I know. I'm not asking you to be my lover. I...I just need to know something."

For a moment the dusky-eyed Egyptian looked as if he might object, but then, with a wistful sigh, he placed his lips on those of the tombrobber. It was a dry, chaste kiss that lasted only moments, but in that brief span of time Bakura saw everything. He saw his life as it would have been, the heartache, the laughter, the joy, and the tears. He could see Mariku's eyes shining with lust as they lay tangled in eachother's arms and at the same see those orbs burning hatefully as they fought and screamed at eachother over some stupid misunderstanding. This was how their lives would play out, beautiful and angry and filled with a sort of bitter sweetness that would not fade with time. It was indeed a wild ride, undoubtedly wilder than his and Ryou's could ever be, but for some reason, when they pulled apart, Bakura didn't have any regrets. He had made his choice. _'Besides,'_ the Thief found himself thinking. _'Its not about the life you live. Its how you choose to live it.'_

Slowly, Mariku pulled away from the older spirit. "Are you happy now?"

With a brief nod, Bakura turned and began walking away. However, upon reaching the far end of the pier, he stopped and looked back. "Go to your hikari, Marik. You need him every bit as much as he needs you." Then he was gone. The King of Thieves was a king no longer. He had become something more.

_/Ryou/_

_/Kura! Are you alright? I was so worried when I couldn't reach you through our link./_

_/Yes, I'm fine. Leave Malik and meet me at home. Tell him Mariku is on his way./_

_/You found him./_

Bakura practically choked on the relief coming from his lighter half's mind. _/Yes. Now go home_./ He smirked rather fiendishly. _/After all, I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to./_

* * *

Leaning against the doorframe, Malik studied his yami's sleeping form. Marik had come home a few hours ago, sheepish and unusually thoughtful but no less healthy than before. It had been weird too. After a few minutes of awkward silence, they had settled down to watch tv. The tension had nearly dissipated when the Darkness had gotten up, mumbling something about going to bed. This alone didn't surprise Malik, but when Mariku kissed him softly on the cheek before leaving, the teen found himself at a total loss for words. It was so bizarre, so completely un-Marik-like, that he just didn't know what to think.

Now, as he stood there staring at his yami's slumbering form, Malik couldn't help noticing that this was the first time since that week spent in the hospital that he had seen the Darkness in something other than a long-sleeved shirt. Mariku was ashamed of those scars. However it was an uncommonly warm evening, and the wild-haired blonde's chest and shoulders lay bare, their chisled contours clearly defined by a mix of light and shadow. Quietly, so as not to wake him from his slumber, Malik made his way over to the bed. He ran his fingers across spidery heiroglyphs on Marik's arm. The little ridges of flesh were delicate, amazingly so. It was strange to think that such marks were permanent. They would never truly heal.

The Darkness stirred suddenly. His body thrashed, and his mouth opened in a silent gasp. Malik pressed his hands against the spirit's shoulders, hoping he would finally lay still. "Mariku!" The spirit bucked harshly. His hands twitched. His body began to shudder. Then, quite unexpectedly, Mariku opened his eyes.

"Hikari?" His voice cracked slightly, its normal, dark quality still hampered by a veil of sleepy confusion.

Malik smiled and lay his head gently on the other's stomach. "Were you having a nightmare?"

"I...I don't know." Heat rose within Marik as he realized just how intimate this situation had become. His lighter half was lying on top of him, head resting low enough so that his soft bangs brushed against his navel. Tentatively, the spirit wrapped his arms around Malik's waist. When the teen didn't object, he went a bit further, slipping his hands beneath his cropped tee-shirt. "I shouldn't have walked out like that, hikari. It was a mistake."

Smiling at his yami's psuedo-apology, Malik used his own palms to caress Marik's chest and abdomen. His skin was so smooth, but the boy could feel the hardness of the body beneath, the strength and tension of those muscles that were so easily hidden by his wirey frame. "Mmm, its okay. I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."

Mariku arched his back as the light's nails scraped 'innocently' across his nipples. Its...ahh..." Not knowing was else to do, the Darkness pulled at Malik's shirt, slipping the item over his head and casting it aside. Now, both bare from the waist up, the two Egyptians embraced fully. They crushed their bodies together, hands roaming, caressing backs, chests, faces, thighs, every bit of skin imaginable.

Malik's eyes rolled back as his yami planted silent kisses on his chin and throat. "Oh Ra...so good...Marik..." He was sitting in the spirit's lap now, erection pulsing between their flushed torsos. He wanted more. He needed more.

Sensing his hikari's distress, Mariku began fumbling at the fly of the boy's jeans. He found Malik's lack of underwear rather appealing. The Darkness worked his hands down the back of his light's pants, only to stop suddenly as his own phantom fears took hold.

"Marik?" Through a haze of lust, the flaxen-haired youth gazed wonderingly at his yami. Mariku's body had grown suddenly stiff. His eyes appeared to be staring off into space, their amethyst facets glazed over with fright. "Marik!" Grasping him bythe upper arms, Malik gave the spirit a good shake. "Hey, snap out of it!"

Mariku cried out as his light's hand came in contact with the scars covering his arm. He jerked away, clawing frantically at the carvings. It was like the Darkness was trying to rub something away, get rid of some sort of imperfection that refused to be erased. Whimpering quietly, he drew further away from Malik, pulling his boxer-clad legs to his chest. "So sorry," he whispered distractedly. "I didn't...I didn't mean to..."

"Mariku, what's wrong?" Malik reached out, grasping his yami's hand. "Why are you sorry?"

"I shouldn't...we shouldn't...do this. I don't want to hurt you like..."

"...like you were hurt." Gently, the blonde kissed one of the gashes on Marik's wrist. "Don't worry. You'll never hurt me like that. I know this because I know you love me, because I know I love you."

A strange keening sound bubbled up in the back of the spirit's throat. It's source was indistinguishable, somewhere between a moan and a sob. Wrapping his arms around the teen's neck, Mariku pushed Malik over onto his back. He kissed him hard and deep, throwing all the strength of his soul into plundering the mouth of the person who loved him. Malik loved him. Malik Ishtar loved him, and nothing else could have made his shadowed heart so warm.

"Mmm...yami...yami please..." The teen mewled as his darker half removed the rest of their clothing. His body was flooded with sensations. He needed Marik inside him soon or he'd lose all control. Malik pulled one of the Darkness' hands to his mouth and licked it, coating his fingers with saliva.

Mariku watched Malik's face in rapt fascination as he stretched him. The boy had a habit of biting his lip when pleasured that was rather cute. When the fingers were at last replaced by his arousal, the hikari went from cute to completely erotic. Twisting from side to side, Malik screamed. It felt good, better than he'd ever imagined. The brief pain he felt at first was but a single thorn in an ocean of wildflowers. The Egyptian cried out again and again as that spot deep inside was struck. Malik felt free, wild, unhampered by any chains of doubt as his yami drove him past the point of lust and into a bliss so pure he might have been with Eros himself.

"Ma...lik..." Barely managing to utter his lover's name through his own labored breathing, Mariku's soul felt as if it were expanding, stretching to encompass something new, something that for so long had been out of reach. With each thrust the Darkness drove away the painful uncertainty of his existance and drew in love, acceptance, absolution, for that was everything his hikari had come to represent. Malik was his anchor to humanity, to being the sane, rational person that he could never become on his own. Malik was...Malik was the boy he loved...the boy who loved him back. That was all Mariku had to know. Anything less than that simply didn't matter.

Their orgasms hit together, both screaming their passion into the night as waves of euphoria threatened to wash them away. With a final moan, Marik's arms buckled, and he fell exhausted onto Malik's chest. The lighter boy smiled and ran his fingers through the spirit's sweaty hair. He stayed like this for a moment, silent and unmoving, listening to Mariku's rapid heartbeat. As the Darkness began to fall asleep, the palpitations slowed. Soon they were only as soft thrumming in his chest. Carefully, so as not to wake him, Malik rolled out from under his yami and wrapped his arms around the man's slender waist.

Before he too slipped from the realm of consciousness, the boy took a long moment to gaze at Mariku. It was strange, Malik thought, that someone born of the vilest parts of humanity could be so wretchedly beautiful, that just when you thought you had such a person figured out, a new aspect of their soul was thrust brutally and unapologetically into your face,but wasany of this really important? Who cared how this relationship had worked out? All that mattered was that they were with the people they loved. He thought of Yami and how for so long he had been blind to the love staring him straight in the face. He thought of Bakura, who had been strong enough to swallow his jealousy and recognize just how many kinds of love there were, but mostly Malik just thought of Mariku. His beautiful, terrible, shattered Mariku, the one whose eyes he could drown in and who he'd promised to keep with him forever in the light.

Closing his own eyes, Malik finally gave in to the heavily approaching slumber. He no longer had any doubts. He had built his own destiny, a destiny revolving around two words, words he had once thought to be useless and fickle but which had changed his life.

_...love...promises..._

And to think it had taken pure darkness to show him the depth of their importance.

_Owari_

* * *

**-UsuakariTOT **(Well its over. I'm kind of sad, but now I get to start another fic so I'll get over it.

Oh, I almost forgot. This has to do with the part when Bakura thinks, 'Its not about the life you live. Its how you choose to live it.' I got that from a quote by someone whose name I can't remember. I don't think its taken word for word or anything, but the idea, beautiful though it may be, still isn't mine.)


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